His Pain, Her Wish
by LeilanaIce
Summary: Inuyasha tachi are once more continuing on with the journey after the tragic demise of Kikyou. The hanyou has grown very distant from his friends, especially Kagome. Will the group's unity ever be the same again?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Kagome's Fears

It had been a mere 2 weeks ago. There wasn't a feeling of despair that didn't shroud the group of comrades in that silent, still night. Everyone had felt the grief wash over them like a violent thunderstorm, especially one young miko by the name of Kagome. She could do nothing but watch as her beloved hanyou had cradeled the dying priestess's clay body in his arms, only to have her say her goodbyes and fade to a sparkling dust as she left the world of the living forever. Kikyou's shinidamachuu had gathered around them as the woman's soul filled the air. It had been so warm. It was a feeling that Kagome would never forget. It was as if Kikyou had been touching them all, letting them know that she was finally free and not to mourn her death.

They then knew that Kikyou's suffering had finally been put to rest and she was saved, free from the pain she had known for too long. So much had happened, too much had happened, and Kagome couldn't even begin to fathom what this would do to Inuyasha. She knew it after the moment she shot Kikyou with the purifying arrow. It had been the look the injured miko had given her...At first, Kikyou had made it seem to Kagome as though the arrow would save her, that Kagome's spiritual powers from the arrow would heal her. However, the corrupted jewel had already entered the fatally wounded miko's flesh, and Naraku's control was overwhelming to say the least. The corruption of his spider webs, the tainted jewel underneath her chest, the terrible wounds that had been inflicted upon her...this was all Kikyou's fate.

_"In order to save me, the only way is to shoot this wound with the bow and purify Naraku's corruption," Kikyou had told Kagome. Kagome wasn't so sure if she had the power or if she were strong enough, especially with one arrow left. The younger miko didn't realize then that Kikyou had faith in her. She believed in Kagome and her powers. The older miko was much too weak though once the tainted jewel had entered her body. There was no way she would be strong enough to purify the whole thing on her own. It was up to Kagome to do it._

_"KIKYOU!" came Kagome's voice as she peered over the cliff, realizing that the jewel was inside of the woman's body. There was no choice. In order to purify the corruption, Kagome would have to shoot the jewel hidden underneath Kikyou's flesh. She would have to shoot the jewel, praying and hoping against hope that both Kikoyou and the jewel would be purified, and the undead priestess would be saved._

_"I should do it now? You want me to shoot right now!?" the miko called down to broken looking woman below. Kikyou gave the other woman a fierce look, making her realize that this was the only way. _

_Naraku had spotted Kagome, pulling back an arrow, ready to purify the priestess when his tentacles shot out to the cliff the miko had been standing on, breaking it from underneath Kagome's feet. Kagome cried out helplessly as gravity took affect and she began to plunge downward. Kagome heard Inuyasha's voice ring through the air as he called her name in desperation. He had been trying to help a trapped Kouga get out of Naraku's grasp. There was no way the hanyou would make it in time to save Kagome, but just in time did Kikyou's shinidamachuu catch the falling girl. The glowing snake-like creatures wrapped their bodies gently around Kagome's holding her up. They had saved her from instant death. Kagome saw in an instant what Naraku's plan was. _

_'He's trying to get the jewel back!' she thought furiously to herself and there was no way in hell Kagome was about to let that happen. "NOW!" the miko yelled as she released the purifying arrow from the bow's hold. It shot Kikyou square in the chest as it power merged with the wounded miko's. Kagome and Kikyou began purifying the Shikon no Tama, combining their miko powers. Their powers managed to break Naraku apart, putting the trecherous half-demon in pain which both miko's relished. However, Kouga's shards had been ripped from his legs as Naraku attempted to absorb the wolf-youkai into his body. The mikos' spiritual powers and Naraku's jyaki were fightning visibly inside of the jewel. Now only one shard remained and that was the one in, Sango's younger brother, Kohaku's back._

_"Kikyou, can you see it?" Kagome stated as she knelt near the other woman's side, placing a comforting hand on Kikyou's shoulder. "Naraku is in pain."_

_"Kagome..." came Kikyou's soft tone. "The rest is up to you..."_

_"Kikyou...," Kagome replied tensely, not sure what the injured priestess had been implying._

_"The final shard...protect Kohaku's light," Kikyou remarked as though she were struggling to speak. "Kagome...it's only something you can do."_

_' What...what is Kikyou trying to say?' Kagome thought to herself, trying not to think the worst. "Kikyou, hang in there! You shouldn't say such things!" The younger miko waited for the undead miko to respond, but there was nothing. She just stared sadly at Kagome. "What's the matter, Kikyou! Shooting you with the bow should have purified your wounds!" she cried out desperately. 'Shouldn't it have saved her!?' Kagome thought as terror tore into her heart._

_Kikyou gazed at Kagome with a look almost as if to say she was sorry. It was mixed with a sadness and gentleness. Kagome could feel that Kikyou had all the faith in the younger miko to do this job and much to Kagome's disbelief, a look that told her it was Kikyou's time..._

_"Kikyou...you lose," came Naraku's cold voice from above the two mikos. He lowered his tentacles, preparing to attack Kikyou even further when Kagome threw her body protectively over the broken miko, crying out. She clutched onto the older woman's head, doing everything she could to protect Kikyou for Naraku's touch. She was not about to allow him to put more damage onto the woman who lay before her. The little miko was determined to save Kikyou. She was not about to let her die in the hands of Naraku once more._

_'Whether I have lost or not...Naraku, we will find out when you die,' Kikyou thought to herself as she glared up at the man before her, despising him with every inch of her being._

_"DAMMIT!" screamed Inuyasha as he withdrew the dragon-scaled Tetsusaiga. "NARAKU YOU BASTARD!"_

_"Hmph, there is one shard left," the half youkai stated, glaring down at the group of comrades. "So you had better find out...how you're going to fight without Kikyou," Naraku added tauntingly._

_Inuyasha whirled around to face where Kikyou lay on the rocky ground below, Kagome still at her side. His golden orbs widened in disbelief. "KIKYOU!?"_

_"Inuyasha...Kikyou is..." Kagome struggled to say as she placed a hand on the woman's chest. She didn't want to come to terms with the fact that they were probably going to lose Kikyou. She tried to say "injured", but the words couldn't come out right, so she said nothing at all._

_"Kikyou has lost to my jyaki," Naraku stated sinisterly. "It is all over," his voice echoed through the air as he disappeared into his cloud of purple, tainting miasma. _

_"INUYASHA HURRY!" cried out Kagome. She then let out a gasp as she felt Kikyou's hand lay over hers gently. The wounded priestess's hand squeezed Kagome's gently.. _

_"Kikyou!? What is it?" Kagome asked in ernest, turning back to the dying woman laying in front of her. _

_"The bow...the bow from Mt. Azusa...is yours," Kikyou struggled to say. Kagome could tell that the woman was fighting for her life now and she before long, she wouldn't make it. _

_"KIKYOU WHY!" Kagome cried out, grasping her hand tight. The miko knew the reason why, but she just didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to believe that after all they had been through, Kikyou was really going to meet her end now._

_Afterward Naraku had made yet another escape, leaving the comrades alone with the fatally wounded miko. The sun was beginning to set in the sky as Inuyasha had lifted the broken form that was Kikyou and carried her back out to the hills, the rest of his comrades following close behind. Nobody spoke a word and Kagome struggled to fight back tears and stay strong for Inuyasha's sake. _

_"I...wasn't able to save Kikyou?" Kagome questioned herself. She held fist to her chest as crystalline tears filled her eyes and she bit her bottom lip. The miko could no longer control her emotions as they overwhlemed her like a floodgate. All the fighting, the powers that she and Kikyou had used together, everything that they had done...was it all in vain? Was it all futile?_

_"I'm sorry," came Inuyasha's voice silently and rather calm as the group followed him. "Could you leave the two of us alone?" The hanyou never once turned his face back towards them, and his friends understood. Inuyasha wanted to be alone with Kikyou in her final moments. That was when Kagome broke down._

_"I'm so sorry, Kikyou! I'm so sorry," the little miko sobbed into her hands, falling to her knees. Sango and Kouga approached Kagome's sobbing form, bringing her back to sit with them, placing comforting arms around her. _

_Kikyou inclined her head back over Inuyasha's arm and gave Kagome a warm smile. "Do not cry, Kagome. It is my soul that has been saved..." she told her softly, before turning to rest her tired head once more on the warmth of Inuyasha's arm. He slowly sat down at the edge of the grassy hill, still cradeling Kikyou gently. The sunset that had been the color of blood slowly turned to darkness of the night._

"Ah, I see a village not too far ahead," Miroku pointed out, breathing a sigh of relief. The wound had spread in his right hand from sucking in the deadly poisonous gasses that had been Naraku's and every since then, the comrades could tell how deeply it affected the houshi. He always tried to keep his head up and stay strong, but for the past 2 weeks, Sango had become almost overly protective of him, now allowing the monk to over-exert himself.

"C'mon. Let's see if they'll allow us to stay for the night, Houshi-sama," Sango replied softly, placing a hand gently on Miroku's arm and leading him towards the hut.

Inuyasha stayed quite a few feet behind the group, his head lowered as he walked. The first week of Kikyou's death had left the hanyou in other a stunned silence or losing his temper completely. Now in the 2nd week since Kikyou's passing, all he seemed to do was stare at the ground or stare off into the sky, lost and absorbed in his own thoughts. Inuyasha had become strangely silent and hardly spoken to any of his friends unless it were absolutely necessary. It had been a fortnight since Kikyou's passing and though it had affected the entire group to a great extent, it had struck Inuyasha harder than anyone. He had been with the miko in her final moments, cradeled her dying body as the two shared words that nobody in the group could hear.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice came softly as she turned around. The girl had been walking next to Sango with Shippou on her shoulder. The hanyou had barely spoken a few sentences to Kagome since Kikyou's death and only looked at her if he necessarily had to. "Miroku-sama is getting tired. Sango-chan and I feel we should probably stop and rest. Wouldn't you like to try and get some sleep?"

"Keh," came the hanyou's response. He still didn't gaze up at Kagome like he had normally always done when she spoke to him.

Every since Kikyou's death, Inuyasha had not once looked Kagome in the eyes. He just turned his head and averted those amber eyes of his. They didn't hold that normal, fierce, arrogant look as they always had. His eyes were filled with despair and sadness. Kagome couldn't ever recall a time the hanyou had looked that way. This wasn't her stubborn, brave, loyal, arrogant Inuyasha. He had turned into someone else and the miko couldn't help but question if he'd ever recover from it? More than anything, he needed her right now and she needed him, but all he did was push her away anytime she tried. Kagome sighed sadly and turned back towards her friends, brushing back a stray strand of ebony hair from her cheek. Twilight was nearing as the group made their way down the rocky path toward the village, hoping they would reach it by nightfall.

"I really wish Inuyasha would stop making Kagome so sad," came Shippou's voice softly. The little kitsune had taken the liberty to move to Sango's shoulder when the miko had tried to approach the hanyou.

"Tch Shippou, he's not making me sad," Kagome shooshed the kit. "It's hard for him right now. Inuyasha can't help but feel the way he's feeling and I don't blame him. It's probably just difficult for him to talk about it."

"Yeah but, Kagome...Inuyasha's barely spoken a word to you since, well...," Shippou started to say and caught himself before he said anything further. The last thing the little fox youkai wanted to do was upset Inuyasha, especially in the state he was in.

The group finally reached the light of the torches in the village, but they had encountered one small problem. They were on the edge of a cliff and the village was quite a ways down. Shippou, Sango and Miroku had Kirara to fly on to get down there and Inuyasha had his powerful, hanyou body to leap down the jagged edges without getting in harm's way and make it safely to the ground below, but Kagome on the other hand...she wouldn't be able to get down all by herself.

"Oh man, a cliff," complained Shippou, peeking down at the village below them. "I'm too tired to tranform," he whined, laying over Sango's shoulder.

"That's alright Shippou, you can ride Kirara with us," the demon slayer told him, peering at the little kit on his shoulder. "I'm sure Kirara wouldn't mind you riding on her head, would you?"

Kirara looked up at Sango, releasing a small squeaking mew in response. The little youkai cat's body was once more engulfed with flames as she grew to an enormous size. Sango and Miroku climbed up on the cat's back. The houshi placed his staff protectively in front of Sango as he always had and leaned against the demon slayer's back gratefully. He closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion overwhelming him as the cat began to hover in the air, flames flickering like a campfire around her feet and the ends of her twin tails.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to leave Inuyasha and Kagome-chan alone together? What if he yells at her again?" Sango asked softly as the cat stayed hovered just past the cliff.

"I think it'll be a good opportunity for them to talk about things, and if he yells Kagome can take care of herself. I don't know how much more she'll be able to take before she decides to sit him again. She's been really strong up until now. I'm sure she can hold out just a bit longer," Miroku replied tiredly, still leaning up against the slayer.

"Well alright, but if Kagome-chan ends up hurting again because of that stubborn Inukkoro, I'm blaming you, Houshi-sama," Sango replied somewhat playfully earning a rare smile from Miroku.

It was true, since Kikyou had died, nobody had smiled much at all. They hadn't talked as often as they normally did, didn't plot their next move on Naraku, plan, strategize or anything like they had in the past. Kagome had taken time to herself most recently, more concentrating on her studies. She wasn't her normal, bubbly self either. None of the group seemed to be particularly happy. Each and every one of them had become most melancholy since the passing of the dear priestess.

The young miko couldn't even remember the last time she had laughed. More than one night she found herself waking up from the nightmare of Naraku corrupting Kikyou's body in the manner that he had. More than once had Kagome also awoken to the sounds of soft sniffling coming from the hanyou. Kikyou's death was clearly torturing him, but Kagome never allowed him to know she had heard him the first few days after Kikyou's passing, sobbing quietly in private for her. Kagome stood, staring down at the bottom of the cliff. The rocks were sharp and jagged, but she had to get down there with the rest of her friends.

"Well, I suppose we should get going," the miko began as she lowered her body at the base of the cliff, crouching with her back facing the village.

"What the hell are you doing, baka?" came Inuyasha's harsh tone.

"I'm going to climb down," Kagome replied matter-of-factly, ignoring the hanyou's insult. "It's the only way I can get down there. I need to hurry and help Sango get the bedding set up and such for us to get some sleep. Miroku-sama really needs to rest as well. He looked really tired. We have a long journey back to the village and..." Kagome's babbling was broke off by Inuyasha's acrid tones once more.

"Keh, don't be stupid and just get on already," the hanyou snapped at Kagome. "You know you can't climb down that cliff by yourself, you'll get hurt. I'll carry you down there. It's no big deal."

_He's worried about me getting hurt...but still, I don't want to be a nuisance... _"Inuyasha, it's okay. I can climb down the cliff by myself...I don't want to burden you," Kagome began quite softly but was cut off yet again the half-dog demon pratically barking at her once more.

"Dammit, Kagome, you're not going to burden me now just get over here so I can take you down there!" he replied, sticking his nose in the air and turning his back to her.

"Well...okay," Kagome replied uncertainly, though she was grateful for him doing this. He knelt down and Kagome climbed up onto his back, placing her hands over the familiar touch of his muscular shoulders flexing underneath the palms of her hands.

The moment the miko made it up there, she wished she hadn't. The young priestess could feel Inuyasha's muscles tense and stiffen heavily underneath her form. Why did he tense up everytime she had no choice but to ride on his back? The moment she felt that sensation, just from her being up there, it nearly brought tears to Kagome's eyes. She used all of her emotional strength to force back the lump that had began to rise in her throat. _Not now! _She scolded herself. _Now is not the time to get all weak like this! You have to stay strong for Inuyasha! It's just really hard for him now is all...that's the only reason he's being this way. _It was like when they had first met all over again, only this time it felt worse because of how close the two became and because of how much Kagome loved him.

The hanyou hurriedly lept from the top of the pillar and down onto the jagged edges of the cliff, moving effortlessly. _If Kagome had even attempted to climb down this rocky boulder and had fallen, she would have been ripped to shreds..._The hanyou thought as his long red sleeves of the fire rat haori flew out from behind them. His silvery-white mane of hair streaked outward gently tapping Kagome in the face as they moved downward, and her heart lept into her throat. How she wished that things could be different. More than anything did the miko wish that Inuyasha would open up to her instead of continuing to push her away and be so cold towards her. Last week He had used such harsh tones with her when he spoke to her. That week he had even called her a bitch without meaning to.

Kagome had never heard Inuyasha call her anything so asperous and she tried to come to terms that this was just his way of grieving. However hearing him say something like that to her, it had been almost too much. When they had first met he had called her stupid, idiot and even sometimes he called her a wench. That was way back when the two didn't get along and before Kagome had fallen in love with him and Inuyasha had developed obvious feelings for the little miko. However that day, Kagome had just stared at him in shock. The whole group retierated, wondering why Inuyasha would call Kagome such a terrible thing. Sango had tried to approach Kagome, but the miko just shook her head and slowly moved backward, not wanting to upset him anymore than what he already was. Inuyasha felt immediately guilty, and try as he might, he couldn't push that look in her eyes out of his mind. The hanyou couldn't erase the smell of her tears either as they ventured onward in silence. She stayed quite a few feet behind the group, crying silently to herself, wondering if it was because she couldn't save Kikyou that Inuyasha had been treating her more cacophonously than usual.

Sango and Miroku would peer over their shoulders every now and then to make sure Kagome was okay. They had never seen the young miko look so alone and so dejected and felt slightly affronted by the hanyou's actions. Eventually, Kirara had approached the girl on her own will, lept up onto her shoulder and tried to comfort her. Inuyasha had known he'd hurt her. He'd never meant to call her such a thing. He was just angry because she couldn't start the fire properly and took it all out on Kagome, even though the girl had been a shaking wreck. She had nearly been devoured by a youkai which Sango managed to save her from before it swallowed her whole. The hanyou never meant to blow up like he did, but he felt that sometimes just totally losing control of his temper was the best way to release the pain he felt in his heart. Inuyasha had crossed the line that time.

No matter how much pain he was in, no matter how much he suffered, there was no type of release for it. The hanyou had screamed, he had lost his temper, he had cried to himself when he was certain nobody was around or awake to hear him, but no matter what bout of emotions Inuyasha used, nothing helped. So instead, he just bottled himself up. The hanyou had grown sick and tired of losing his temper and feeling sadness, so instead Inuyasha showed no emotion, he showed no pain and barely spoke with his friends. The few times his friends had tried to bring up Kikyou with Inuyasha, hoping they could get him to talk about it and it make him feel better, he just grew furious and blew them off. How would anybody ever understand anyway? This was something _he_ was dealing with, not them. Inuyasha had to face this pain alone and learn to get past it on his own. Besides, there was nothing to talk about anyway. Kikyou was dead and talking about it wasn't going to bring her back.

Inuyasha landed swiftly in front of the village, Kirara landing gracefully next to the hanyou. Kagome wasted no time in climbing off of his back. Inuyasha didn't even seem to acknowledge that she'd gotten off and began walking towards were a few villagers were working outside. Twilight had fallen and the moon was beginning to show in the sky. Stars slowly made their appearance one by one as they approached the village. Sango and Miroku followed suit, climbing off of the exhausted youkai cat's back. Kagome stood behind, allowing the hanyou to make some headway, before sighing softly and following after Kirara's twin tails. The run-down group approached the people who at once stopped what they were doing. They weren't sure what to think as their eyes met Inuyasha's dog ears to the monstrous demon cat who had burst into flames, reverting back to her normal size once more and Kagome's strange clothing.

"You all travelers?" called one of the men, holding a long, metal shovel in his hand. He rested his scathed-looking hands on top of the shovel. He leaned on the handle of it and stared suspiciously at the group of comrades, studying each of their faces as though trying to rule out any evil.

"We are. We've been traveling a long ways, and we were hoping you could allow us lodgings for the night?" spoke up Miroku, as he climbed off of the demon cat, advancing towards the working men. "We haven't had a decent night's sleep and a good, warm meal in a fortnight."

The man eyed the houshi's robes and staff, taking in his appearance. Almost at once he realized what Miroku was. "Ah, a monk are you? Well then, you and your friends are welcome to stay for the night. There have been no youkai attacks on the village so I'm certain you'll all be safe. You can rest in that hut over there," the man with the shovel pointed a knarled finger to the right. Across the way was a small, hut made of a material that looked a lot like bamboo. All around the village were similar huts and a few larger ones in size. "A few of our ladies in the village will bring you a warm meal later on. If you would like, you can go over there," the man retierated and pointed towards a bigger hut, "and have a nice, warm bath. You look like you've been around the bend and back."

"We have had a rough couple of weeks," Miroku admitted. "So I must thank you for your generosity and kindness," the monk added, offering him a bow of his head in gratitude. Miroku didn't even bother to act lecherous or lift his eyebrows in interest as the man made the offer about the ladies bringing them food. This was a sure sign that the monk was tired and not feeling like himself at all. It left Sango and Kagome both exchanging shocked glances at Miroku's lack of wanting to feel up the women of this village.

The man nodded in response as Inuyasha-tachi crossed the pathway of the village to the hut the man with the shovel had shown them. Miroku kindly opened the door for his friends, who ducked inside of the small, warm cabin. It smelled strongly of fresh bamboo and a small fire flickered cheerfully in the center of the wooden floor. Upon entering, Kagome and Sango immediately set up the sleeping bad bedding, around the fire, for the group to sleep in. Hardly any of them had slept very well in the past two weeks, and this had been the first village they had come upon since they had continued on with their travels.

Kouga had left the morning after Kikyou's passing minus the shards in his legs, leaving Kagome to be with Inuyasha, but what good did that do when all the half-demon did was treat her the way he had been? However, since they were being taken care of by the villagers and had an actual chance to settle down, maybe tonight they'd actually get some rest. Maybe with any luck, after Sango and Miroku went to sleep, Kagome could take a chance and try to speak with Inuyasha alone. The moment Kagome had laid her sleeping bag down on the wooden floor of the hut, Shippou crawled over to it and had shortly fallen into slumberland. Exhaustion had hit him harder than the adults, considering he was still a child and it only took moments for the young kitsune to fall asleep. Kirara curled up next to him, closing her big, expressive eyes and soon joined the little fox youkai in sleep, the two snoring softly.

The demon slayer held the houshi's arm as she helped him into a sleeping bag so he could get some rest. Kagome moved across the cabin and sat down in a corner on the other side of the hut, well away from the others. The miko removed her bag from her shoulders and sat it down in front of her. She figured she might was well do some homework, considering she wasn't ready to go to bed just yet. Kagome flipped the top of her bag and pulled out her math book and her english book along with some paper and writing utensils. The miko flipped open to the page she had last left off on and tried hard to concentrate, but found the numbers just blurring before her eyes and her mind taking her elsewhere.

Inuyasha had sat on the other side of the cabin, holding Tetsusaiga up to him like he had always done and rested his head on the hilt. The hanyou's amber eyes were closed, but Kagome knew that he wasn't asleep. He wasn't even breathing deeply to suggest that he was asleep. Kagome sighed resting her chin in her hand, trying to peek at the hanyou without him noticing her watching him. Most likely, he was lost in thought once more. She couldn't help but wonder what Inuyasha was thinking about these days. This past week he had become very quiet as opposed to how he was the previous week, losing his temper at the drop of the hat and yelling at them. The miko set her opened math book on the floor of the hut and leaned back againt the wall, staring up at the strange shadows the fire cast across the ceiling, becoming lost in her own thoughts.

_Why won't Inuyasha talk to me? He's barely spoken to me since Kikyou passed away. Does he hate me because I couldn't save her? Does he resent me not being strong enough to protect Kikyou? Does he even realize that he's not the only one who's hurting here? Why won't he let me in? I'm honestly scared...I'm truly scared that once we get back to the village and I go home, Inuyasha won't want me with him anymore. He won't want me to come back and stay with him and continue to fight Naraku...even though I made a promise to Kikyou. I won't break that promise to Kikyou...she believes in me, even if Inuyasha doesn't..._

These thoughts nearly choked Kagome and the girl clenched her fists tightly against the rugged wood of the floor, lowering her head allowing her bangs to curtain her eyes. The miko was interrupted her thoughts by a slight scuffle from Inuyasha. He stood up, amber eyes averted down towards the floor. "I'm sleeping outside tonight," the hanyou told them in a flat, gruff tone. Before any of his friends had a chance to say anything, Inuyasha turned and dispersed from the cabin.

Kagome's math book lay forgotten by her feet. Inuyasha still didn't bother to even look at her. Were the miko's worst fears becoming a reality? She wasn't sure, but Kagome had almost had enough of this. Now he couldn't even stay in the same room with her? The miko knew it was hard for him and Kagome had been trying so hard not to be a nuisance to Inuyasha, especially after the fire incident. The worn down girl sighed, hugging her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top of them. Why of all times did she have to feel as weak as she did now? The door to the hut swung gently from Inuyasha's abrupt leave and Kagome almost had half a mind to follow after him. She buried her face into arms that wrapped around her knees, cursing herself for feeling this way when she felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder.

"Kagome-chan?" came Sango's voice softly. The miko lifted her face to gaze up at the warm smile the demon slayer was giving her and it made Kagome feel slightly relaxed. She was lucky to have a friend such as Sango. "Are you alright?" Sango carried that worried look in her eyes whenever something had happened to one of her friends.

"I'll be okay, Sango-chan," Kagome replied with a fake smile.

"It's Inuyasha, isn't it? You can't hide that look in your eyes, Kagome-chan," the demon slayer told her, gently rubbing the girl's shoulder. "Houshi-sama is asleep, so why don't you talk to me about it?" Sango offered.

Kagome sighed and leaned up against the alleviation of her friend's shoulder. Sango put a comforting arm around the woman she had grown to consider a sister. "I just don't know what to do anymore, Sango-chan. Inuyasha won't speak to me, he won't look at me and when...when he carries me, I get this feeling like he doesn't want to even touch me. I can feel his body tense up when I'm on his back. That's why I haven't been going with him and just running on my own to keep up with you guys," Kagome explained, a blush creeping up on her cheeks.

"I wish I knew why Inuyasha was being the way he is towards you. I understand that he's suffering from Kikyou's passing, but that's no excuse to treat you the way he has been," the demon slayer pointed out. "Maybe you should just try going out there and talking to him?"

Kagome felt her eyes fill with unrelenting tears and she turned away from Sango's hold. "I'm honestly really scared to talk to him, Sango-chan. I don't know if I can. I don't know if I can face him. I'm so scared of what he'll say."

"What do you think he's going to say? Do you think he'll call you 'that word' again?" the demon slayer asked curiously.

Kagome shook her head, biting down her lower lip, not able to control her tears anymore that she had been trying to hold back since riding on the hanyou's back down to the village. "I'm scared to death that he blames me for not being able to save Kikyou. Sometimes I feel like it's all my fault she didn't survive. If only had I had been stronger, I could have protected her and saved her from dying." The miko's body trembled with silent sobs, and she felt the comfort as the demon slayer placed her arms once more around Kagome, holding her like an older sister would. Kagome clutched onto the front of Sango's kimono, willing herself to stay calm. Sango rubbed the back of the miko's head in much the same way Kagome always had whenever the girl had comforted the slayer through hard times. "I'm almost afraid to go back to the village because I'm afraid Inuyasha would want me to go back home and not return. I'm scared that he'll never want to see me again," Kagome admitted.

"Oh, Kagome-chan. I don't think for a minute that Inuyasha blames you for Kikyou's death. It wasn't your fault. Kikyou had already been tainted past the point of saving. That had been Naraku's plan all the time, but atleast you were able to set her suffering soul free. That's saying something," the demon slayer encouraged Kagome. "I think Inuyasha is struggling with his feelings right now. I don't think he expected to ever have to try and deal with something like this, and he doesn't quite know how to handle it. Maybe you should just try and go talk to him?" Sango proposed.

"I just don't know, Sango-chan. I honestly don't know anymore," replied the hurting miko as she allowed herself for the first time in two weeks to break down in the demon slayer's arms, not being able to speak anymore. Would Inuyasha ever understand how she felt? Would he ever be able to get past Kikyou's death? Would the hanyou even care that Kagome was just as broken inside, if not more? Would he ever be able to love her in the way that Kagome loved him?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Inuyasha's Broken Soul

The hanyou trudged out of the hut that night, wanting to get as far away from human contact as he possibly could manage. It was difficult to just sit and hear their voices, to know that he cared so much for them, especially one in particular. Every since the inevitable happened, Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder, who would be the next person dear to him to be torn away from the world of the living, leaving him all alone in this suspended reality just as Kikyou and his mother did? Would it be the lecherous monk? Though despite how he may act, Inuyasha had grown almost a brotherly fondness to the houshi. The cursed wind tunnel in his right hand had recently grown wider after he'd over used the Kazaana against Naraku during their most recent battle. How soon would it be before the curse completely devoured the monk just as it had his father and grandfather?

After that, would it be Sango? How she would handle losing the monk and what about Kohaku? What if Kagome couldn't do Kikyou's job and keep the shard in his back purified? Inuyasha hated to think that Kagome couldn't accomplish the task, but to him right now, the entire world looked dark, as if nothing good could possibly happen anymore for him or his friends. Would the slayer kill her little brother in order to free him from the suffering he was bound to from Naraku's control? What if the shard in his back did become tainted? If Sango killed her little brother, surely the demon exterminator would end up slaying herself in the end. What purpose would she have to live if both Miroku and Kohaku died? Yes, that most likely would be Sango's fate, Inuyasha was certain of it. The hanyou failed to see anything favorable happening for any of them anytime soon.

Then what about little Shippou? Even though the kitsune drove Inuyasha completely bonkers at times, he couldn't help but care deeply for little runt. Before Kikyou's passing, before they experienced the emotional wounds, Kagome and Inuyasha almost seemed to care for the little youkai orphan in almost a mother and father way, especially Kagome. She was always wonderful with Shippou, making sure he had his goodies if he needed a candy fix, always having a warm bed prepared for him if the little kitsune grew worn down before the others. Kagome would be the ideal mother someday, and more than once Inuyasha had wondered if Kagome would eventually end up mothering his pups? Then he'd curse himself for having such promiscuous thoughts about the young miko, especially when Kikyou showed up.

That was all in the past now. It meant nothing to the hanyou at this point in time. He was so overwhelmed with grief, that Inuyasha could barely focus on anything but his pain and his fears. Inuyasha had never in his life felt so weak and vulnerable and it vexed him. Dying didn't even seem to be too bad of option with the way he was feeling right now. Would this brave, stubborn, arrogant half-dog demon ever come out of his stupor? Inuyasha didn't know and he honestly couldn't help the way he was feeling at the present time. All of his sentiments had become dark as he thought about more loss and trauma he was most likely to experience. As long as Naraku was alive, Inuyasha knew that the wretched half youkai would do anything and everything beyond his power to try and destroy the inu-hanyou.

His thoughts drifted back to Shippou once more. What if something had happened to the little fox youkai in a battle? Clever as he was, he was still a child who could still get hurt if nobody could get to him in time to protect him. How would the hanyou handle seeing the body of a child, dead and cold such as Shippou? The picture burned brightly in his mind and Inuyasha growled at the mental image. The hanyou clenched his teeth and contracted his hands into fists, allowing his claws to dig into his flesh, not caring that the insides of his hands were being pierced, drawing blood. He continued to walk away from the huts until he found himself near the trees once more, the thoughts of his friends in danger still lingering on his mind. There was also the most important person to him in the world, Kagome...What would happen if now that Kagome had to carry on with Kikyou's duties, something happened to her as it did Kikyou? Didn't he promise Kagome that he would never allow her to fall into Naraku's hands again? Didn't he promise that he would never let her suffer like Kikyou did? She had been tainted once before by Naraku's spiderwebs, so what if it happened again and Kagome couldn't purify herself this time around?

What if Naraku got his filthy hands on the precious miko and destroyed her in much the same way that he had destroyed Kikyou, only it would be worse? Kagome's living body would become mutilated from the attack, and the image of Naraku's tentacles penetrating the miko leaving Kagome bleeding profusely came into his mind as the monster of a half-demon held the suffering young woman in his arms. Of course Naraku wouldn't care that this was happening, and he would tauntingly laugh down at Inuyasha, the pathetic hanyou who had been helpless and wasn't able to save Kagome from Naraku's attack.

Those were the thoughts and visions that played over and over again in his mind, along with Kikyou's death. It was hard enough to just keep on forcing himself to go on after losing Kikyou, but if anything happened to Kagome or his other friends, Inuyasha was clueless as to what'd he do. Every single day it seemed like a task to just open his eyes and awaken, when sleep did manage to find him the previous nights. It was arduous enough to try and continue on the journey back home. Even though it wasn't her fault, Kagome hadn't managed to save Kikyou and neither did he. The hanyou was overcome by remorse for this. He blamed himself for not being able to protect her, but atleast he was with the woman in her final moments. That much he could do atleast.

Though Inuyasha did care for his friends, being near them was almost just as painful as losing Kikyou, especially with the terrible thoughts the hanyou privately harbored. The 'what if' thoughts always came rushing back into Inuyasha's mind whenever he saw them or whenever they spoke to him, and he found himself not wanting to get any closer to them, especially Kagome. These fears had to be what caused him to distance himself from the woman he cared most about in the world. Maybe it was a bit selfish, but who the hell cared? He was the one suffering at this point, wasn't he? Nobody had been as close to Kikyou as he had been. She had been the _first_ woman he truly loved, except for his mother of course. With Kikyou, everything had been different.

Inuyasha cursed and questioned the fact of why, why did they have to be torn apart like they did 50 years ago? Maybe this was why he'd been pushing his friends away, so he wouldn't have to deal with another situation like that again. Naraku had a certain way of turning people whom cared for each other against one another, so maybe this was one of Inuyasha's fears? That Naraku would use his friends and Kagome to his advantage, turning them all against the hanyou or worse, somehow slowly kill each and every one in front of the defenseless hanyou so he could suffer even more.

Kikyou and Inuyasha's bond had seemed so strong, so why did they allow something as stupid as a deception from a jealous half-demon bandit such as Onigumo tear them apart? Inuyasha questioned their bond, wondering if it had really been as strong as he'd thought it had. Why did he truly believe that it had been Kikyou whom was shooting at him? Why did he stoop to such a level as to steal the Shikon no Tama and destroy the village as he had? _Because I was furious! I was certain Kikyou betrayed me when she didn't! She lost her life twice because of me. It's all my fault...atleast she's not suffering anymore, but Kikyou...I'm still suffering. I'm pushing my friends away, I know I'm hurting Kagome, but it's like I can't control what I'm feeling or what I'm even doing. _

Inuyasha found himself in the trees once more. The hanyou raised his head, closing his amber eyes and sniffed the air around him. There was a gentle breeze whispering through the delicate, green leaves. The air smelled fresh for a change. There was no scent of youkai anywhere nearby. The only thing he did capture was the scent of the humans in the village and his comrades a ways away back in the hut where he was certain they were all sleeping now, well...except for maybe Kagome.

He had heard the girl sobbing as he left the hut, his keen hearing had picked it up along with Sango's gentle, soothing voice. _Atleast you're not alone, Kagome_. The hanyou caught the fresh scent of her salty tears and he had felt the pain eminating from her as he had sat in the cabin with her. Despite how she was feeling the hanyou chose to brush it off, no matter how horrible it made him feel. Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder how Kagome could hurt like that anyway? It's not like she and Kikyou were super close friends like she and Sango were. Inuyasha just didn't realize how clueless he truly was when it came to Kagome's feelings.

The hanyou took a giant leap and landed comfortably on top of the wooden appendage. His locks of ivory tresses billowed out from behind him as the wind rushed gently past him, rustling the branches and leaves. It was almost if the wind were trying to speak with him. The hanyou sighed softly, leaning his head back against the body of tree and gazed upward at the midnight blue blanket. The silver stars sprinkled gently across the celestial sphere and the moon's waning glow was visible through the many scattered branches and leaves. Inuyasha found himself lost in his thoughts once more. He never wanted to hurt Kagome, not at all. He couldn't get the look that her face held the day he called her a bitch, out of his mind and that pained him even more. The hanyou folded his arms inside the sleeves of his haori and closed his eyes.

_-ooOOoo-_

_"KAGOME-CHAN! OVER THERE!" Sango cried out as the massive bird youkai swooped menacingly upon the fighting comrades._

_ Inuyasha was busy fighting others single-handedly while Sango, Miroku and Kirara fought another group of them in mid-air. They were gargantuan beasts, with wingspans of atleast 10 feet long, maybe more. Their heads looked almost reptilian and they had long, curved, black beaks. Above their beaks rested 2 sets of red, glowing demon eyes. An entire flock had advanced upon the group and if he had to guess, Inuyasha figured there were atleast twenty of these bird-like youkai, maybe even more. _

_The entire flock zoomed downward nearly catching the traveling group off-guard, but thanks to Inuyasha's keen sense of smell and Mirko and Kagome's ability to sense the demonic aura, they prepared themselves as quickly as possible for the fight. The winged youkai that had attacked Inuyasha-tachi were soon being obliterated. Atleast they hadn't lost their fighting strength. Kagome had just fired one of her arrows,annihilating atleast seven or eight of them all at once. She shot one arrow right after the other, pratically dissolving the beasts to nothing but demon flesh and feathers. Their feathers scattered about the air and the bloodied, defeated chunks of the youkai fell to the ground in clumps as the gang fought ruthlessly. _

_One of the birds had spotted Kagome and opened it's beak to let out a blood-curdling shriek. It zoomed downward toward the miko who was ready for it. Kagome stood, her legs slightly spread in battle stance and reached back to her quiver to grab an arrow. The miko's eyes widened as her hand grasped nothing but air. "OH NO! INUYASHA! SANGO-CHAN! I'M OUT OF ARROWS!" cried the miko as the bird was just inches from her now. It opened it's beak so wide that Kagome could see it's green, scale-covered tongue and right down it's throat. The bird youkai was going to swallow her alive. _

_"HIRAIKOTSU!" came Sango's cry and a whipping sound hitting the air shortly followed as the demon slayer's boomerang-like weapon slashed it's head clean off. _

_Kagome stood in frozen silence, too frightened and shocked to even find the will to move. The beast's massive body fell to the ground heavily right next to Kagome's feet, it's head landing somewhere nearby. The little miko clutched her chest, took quite a few steps backwards and fell to her knees breathing heavily. Kirara lowered herself down to the ground and the demon slayer jumped off of her back. Sango ran to the miko's side and placed her hands on Kagome's shoulders, staring worriedly into the young priestess's frightened face. _

_"Kagome-chan, are you alright?" Sango asked, willing the girl to look her in the face._

_Inuyasha-tachi had just finished extinguishing the entire flock of bird demons. Inuyasha landed hard on his feet behind Sango, staring down at Kagome with a somewhat crude and cold expression. Tetsuisaiga's blade rested on his shoulder as the hanyou's clawed hand clasped the hilt of the sword. He sheathed the Tetsusaiga once more and turned his back away from Kagome, allowing that silvery-white mane of hair to flow around him as he turned. He wanted to turn away from the petrified woman before she could catch the look of worry in his eyes._

_"Y-yeah, I'm okay...caught me off guard. I've ran out of arrows," the miko stammered as Sango stayed knelt in front of her, trying to help her calm down. _

_"That's alright. We'll get you some when get to the next town," the monk stated as he walked towards where Kagome's shaking form was. "In the meantime, how about we take a breather and fix something to eat?"_

_"Yes, I think that's a good idea. We could certainly use a break after fightning those demons," the slayer pointed out. _

_"What do you say, Inuyasha? Do you mind if we sit down and take a moment to recooperate?" Mirko asked, advancing towards the hanyou's retreating form. _

_"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not hungry though, so you guys eat."_

_"But, Inuyasha," interrupted Kagome worriedly as Sango helped her trembling form stand up. "You've barely eaten anything this past week. You should really try eati-," but the girl was cut off as the hanyou whipped around and glared at her. _

_"Look, I said I wasn't hungry so don't fucking force me to eat, alright?" Inuyasha snapped. _

_"A-alright...I'm sorry," Kagome replied softly, lowering her head and turning away from the hanyou. It pained her to see the looks he gave her when he did manage to look at her. It was almost as if Inuyasha was disgusted with her. Not just her, but with Miroku, Sango and Shippou as well. Lately he'd resorted to just taking his anger out on whoever spoke to him first. However it had only been one week to the day since Kikyou's passing, so the miko tried hard to be understanding._

_"I'll go and catch us something to eat. Kagome-sama, why don't you start a fire?" Miroku proposed to the others._

_"I'll go with you, Houshi-sama," Sango stated as she too stood and approached the monk's side. _

_"Y-yes...I'll, start the fire," Kagome reiterated, going towards the trees and gathering up the bits of wood that had been broken when the youkai birds had crashed into the trees._

_ 'Atleast some good came out of this battle,' the miko thought to herself as she laid the wood down and stooped to begin kindling the fire. Kagome snapped two rocks together, trying her hardest to get it started but nothing was happening. The girl was still horribly shook up after the battle and nearly being devoured by the bird demon that she could barely concentrate. So much had happened in such a little span of time, and the way Inuyasha had been treating her didn't help Kagome's hurt and bewilderment in the least. _

_Inuyasha peered down at the struggling miko from the tree he was sitting in. He could still sense the fear and lingering shock emitting from the young woman as she struggled to start the fire. Feeling bad for not saving her and pretending like he didn't even care she was nearly killed, the half youkai figured the least he could do was help her start the fire. Sighing inwardly, the hanyou lept from his perch on the tree and landed on the ground, horizontally from Kagome. He stared at the girl, as he sat with his hands and feet planted on the ground. _

_"Need some help?" the hanyou offered gruffly. _

_"No, it's fine. I can start a fire on my own," Kagome replied, not looking at him._

_ It was too hard to be around him here recently, especially now. and it almost felt as if he didn't even care that she had nearly been eaten by that bird. Usually he always asked her if she was okay aftewards, but this time he just stared coldy at her before turning his back. The hanyou hadn't even tried to rescue her from the bird's sudden attack. Kagome sighed and continued trying to start the fire when Inuyasha reached over and grabbed ahold of the rocks in the miko's hand. She pulled back on them roughly earning a harsh growl issuing from the hanyou's throat. _

_"Let's me start the fire. If you can't do it, then somebody who can do it should," Inuyasha stated arrogantly. He glared at Kagome, who shot him a glare back. _

_"I can DO IT myself! I don't NEED your help!" she reiterated, feeling a fire of her own building up inside of her own body now. Her dark eyes, bore down into the hanyou's who was now becoming infuriated with her, but Kagome didn't care. If she had to, she'd just sit him. _

_"Dammit, just give me the fucking rocks, bitch!!!" Inuyasha's voice rang out through the air, in angry, penetrative tones._

_Kagome gasped softly, dropping the rocks to the ground. She brought a small, closed fist to her chest as she stared at the hanyou, not daring to believe what he'd just said. Did he just call her... Sango and Miroku had returned from catching fresh food for their friends when they had heard Inuyasha shout out the tuneless insult to the miko. Kagome just stared at him, not wanting to believe that he'd really call her what was referred to as a female dog and a terrible insult to human females. It felt like her heart had turned over in her chest and was being squeezed by an invisible hand. Why on earth would he call her something like that over starting a stupid fire? The shock that had been filling her insides soon reverted to hurt and by this point it had reached her eyes. She stared into those unrecognizable, golden orbs and got to her feet._

_"Why? Why, Inuyasha?" was the only thing the miko could force from her constricting throat. _

_"Kagome-chan," Sango began as she made a move towards the woman who was like a sister to her. _

_"No...Sango-chan, it's okay...," Kagome replied shaking her raven head, moving back from the hanyou. "I'm just...I'm going to go sit by the river and...soak my feet. They...hurt," the miko quickly made up a lie. She turned from the others and ran into the grass and down the hill towards the river. Not one of them missed the soft sob that issued from Kagome's voice as she disappeared from their sight. Sango, Miroku and Shippou all stared at Inuyasha, their eyes wide and mouths slightly open. _

_Inuyasha growled and started to go after her, but stopped and cursed himself, brandising the Tetsusaiga and cutting down a tree out of rage. 'Dammit Kagome, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say what I did! Gah what the hell is wrong with me! Why do I keep losing my temper with her! Why do I keep hurting her! I swear I didn't mean to call you what I did! Ugh, this is not like me. Why in the hell do I have to feel like this! Why does it feel like I'm literally suffering!' the hanyou screamed furiously in his mind as he walked away from the group to try and calm himself down. _

_Inuyasha knew he shouldn't have lashed out at Kagome, but it seemed as though here lately he couldn't even control his temper. When he became angry, it was hard to keep him from exploding at the people surrounding him. Inuyasha dropped the fang sword's blade down at his side, still clutching it's handle and stared up at the blue sky. Hardly a cloud was in it. The day was glorious and it almost felt as though it were taunting him. Why was this so hard? What did he ever do to deserve to suffer through this?_

_-ooOOoo-_

Inuyasha growled to himself as he drew one knee up, resting his elbow against it and continued to stare at the night sky. Try as he might, the hanyou could not force the memory of that day from his mind. He would never forget the look in Kagome's eyes, nor the sound of her cries. Inuyasha had hidden himself behind a group of bushes, listening to her and watching her as she lay curled up in a fetal position on the river bank, asking herself over and over again why. She had sounded so broken. Maybe it was hard for him right now, but it had to be hard for Kagome as well.

The way the hanyou had been treating her lately wasn't right, but Kagome never said a word to him about it. The girl hadn't wanted to upset him anymore then what he already was. Only until that day did Inuyasha not realize the how cruel he had been to the miko, but she still continued to be there for him, though he never allowed her to do much. He had crossed the line by calling her such a horrid name and he truly did feel terrible for speaking to her in such a manner. After that day, Inuyasha just bottle himself up, not wanting to even talk to her or anybody.

The hanyou just buried his feelings away from his friends, not wanting to discuss Kikyou or her death. Talking about her wasn't going to bring her back. He had told his friends this before when they attempted to bring up the tragic miko's fate. It was already hard enough losing her and Inuyasha wasn't quite ready to come to terms with her death. Even though her soul had been set free, she became an ordinary woman and she was no longer suffering, it was still difficult to come to the conclusion that Kikyou wasn't coming back to him. The hanyou knew that Kikyou would always be in his heart, but it was so hard to just pick up his feet and move on. Over and over again the night of her death replayed in his mind.

_-ooOOoo-_

_Inuyasha held the miko close to his chest, her life slowly ebbing away as the stars began to appear one by one in the midnight blue sky. The hanyou didn't want to bring himself to believe that he was really going to lose his beloved Kikyou. The beautiful priestess had been tainted severely by Naraku's corrupted, deadly spiderwebs. The horrible half-demon had taken advantage of Kikyou's weakness, inserting the attenuated nearly complete Shikon jewel inside of her chest. It had been left up to Kagome to purify the jewel along with her wounds and while it may have worked, it did not save her. Naraku's corruption enveloped Kikyou's body and now she was beginning to decompose. There was no strength, no spiritual power left in the broken miko. She sighed softly as her head rested against the warmth of Inuyasha's fire rat sleeve._

_'Kikyou...' he spoke her name to himself, wondering why things had to be this way. Atleast he made it in time to be with her in her final moments. _

_"Back then," came Kikyou's tired voice, somewhat surprising Inuyasha that she would speak considering the condition she was in. _

_"Kikyou?" the hanyou questioned, staring down at the fading miko's scathed face. No matter how beaten and cut up that the priestess looked, she was still very lovely, even though she was just moments from death._

_"Do you remember, Inuyasha...before we were split apart by Naraku?" the miko questioned softly, her eyes half closed. It seemed as though she were using what remained of her strength to see the hanyou and speak to him. Inuyasha closed his eyes as his memories took him back to the time where he and Kikyou had discussed him becoming human by using the Shikon no Tama. _

_-----_

_The two had been sitting in the grass together just outside of the village. Kikyou couldn't bring herself to face the half-demon, but she did know what she had wanted to say. Clearing her throat softly the lovely miko turned towards Inuyasha, her long raven locks of hair blew softly past her face as she gazed at him. _

_"Inuyasha, why don't you use the Shikon no Tama and become human?" Kikyou had suggested.. _

_Inuyasha just stared at her with a somewhat confused expression. He raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she'd ask him something like that. "If I become human, what will happen to you Kikyou?" the hanyou had asked with a somewhat worried tone. _

_"I am the protecter of the jewel. If it were used for such a purpose, the Shikon no Tama would cease to exist. If the jewel disappears...I will become an ordinary woman," Kikyou had explained to him. _

_-----_

_Inuyasha clutched the miko closer to him as the memories poured into his mind. Those were the days of happiness, as if nothing could ever ruin what they shared. Now those days were long gone. "Like I could ever forget that," the hanyou assured Kikyou. "At that point in time, I intended to become human and live with you."_

_Kikyou smiled very slightly, her eyes closing as if she were holding onto what remaining strength still could be in her body, releasing a very small giggle. "I have finally...become an ordinary woman," Kikyou stated in a gently elated tone. The happiness could be heard through her voice and the hanyou's ears flicked back and forth. His heart swelled with elation for her and pain at the same time. After so many years of suffering and torment, Kikyou's wish had finally come true. She had become the oridinary woman she had always wanted to be. _

_"Kikyou, since the day I was born, you were the first woman I ever loved," he told her, his voice cracking lightly. The hanyou continued to hold the woman, bringing her even tighter to his chest. 'But even so...I wasn't able to do anything...' He could feel the lump start to rise in his throat as the back of his eyelids began to burn. Inuyasha closed his burning, golden orbs as a tear escaped from his eye. The pain and grief were beginning to envelope his heart now and Inuyasha couldn't hold back the struggle against his emotions anymore. They broke free as the realization sunk in that Kikyou was slowly leaving this world. His tear slipped down his cheek, down his jaw and fell gently on Kikyou's face. The priestess stirred and her deep brown eyes slowly fluttered open. Her eyes moved upward to gaze into the hanyou's sorrowful face that now had tears streaming down one right after the other. A look of surprise and shock filled her features as she watched the unexpected. _

_"This is the first time I've seen it," Kikyou began softly. She averted her gaze momentarily and then looked back into his eyes smiling again. "Inuyasha...I've never seen you make such a face and cry like that," the fading miko told him. His breathing jerked as the sobs overwhlemed his constricting throat. _

_"Kikyou, I...," the hanyou began, staring down at her, his handsome features glazed with tears. "I WASN'T ABLE TO SAVE YOU!" he cried out despairingly, not caring if his friends heard him or not. Nothing mattered in the world right now, except for the fact that Kikyou was dying. She was really dying this time and there was nothing he could do to stop it. _

_The miko watched him, staring sadly up at him. It seemed as though Kikyou either didn't know what to say or that she no longer had the remaining strength to speak to him. He wondered if she could say anymore. The woman was fading very quickly. "You came for me...," her voice stated gently. A small smile made it's way back onto Kikyou's face. "And that's good enough," she told him in her gentle, cheerful voice. _

_"Kikyou," was all the hanyou could say. It was getting hard to speak and his tears wouldn't stop. He grasped the miko in his arms and brought his face down towards hers. They closed their eyes as their lips met. Inuyasha gave her a tender, goodbye kiss, one she could always remember as an ordinary woman. Once the two broke gently apart, Inuyasha rested his face against Kikyou's still crying softly for her. _

_"Inuyasha," was all the miko could say. _

_Just a breath from eternal sleep, a single tear welled up in Kikyou's eye. If she had not become an ordinary woman, she may not have been able to release that tear for Inuyasha. It streamed down her cheek as she closed her deep, kind eyes one last time. A smile still stayed on her face as the miko slowly faded into the night. Her body disappeared into swirling, sparkling dust from the hanyou's arms. Inuyasha had to hold back a wail of anguish from escaping his throat as the touch of Kikyou's body left his grasp forever. Kagome, Sango and Miroku all lept to their feet as a bright, merciful light poured over them all. The shinidamachuu sang a mourning, siren song to the air as they swarmed around the hanyou, grazing his face gently with their touch. He gazed upward at the light that had burst onto them so unexpectedly. _

_"This light is...," came Miroku's voice from somewhere behind him. _

_"Kikyou's soul," Sango finished for him. Inuyasha could smell the warm tears coming from Kagome and Sango both as he continued to stare upward, allowing the warm glow to bathe and caress him. _

_"It's like it's coming to greet us," Shippou stated softly. _

_"It's so warm...," Kagome acknowledged. _

_She wasn't the only one that felt the warmth of the beautiful miko's soul. She had been saved and Kikyou wanted to put their minds at ease by letting them know that. It was all thanks to Kagome that her soul had been saved. The shinidamachuu gathered themselves into a winding group, following the light that was beginnig to move upward towards the sky now and slowly fading. _

_"Kikyou is saying, don't mourn...Kikyou...won't suffer anymore," Inuyasha remarked in a somewhat strained voice. _

_"Inuyasha...," Kagome spoke his name softly. 'You said you would always protect her...'_

_Even though the grief was nearly unbearable and the pain was overwhelming, Inuyasha realized that the suffering miko's soul had been set free. She had been saved and because he had shed tears for her, Kikyou had finally been able to become an ordinary woman, just as she had always wished. As her light faded and Kikyou gave her final farewell to her friends, the gentle twinkle of the stars filled the sky, replacing the free miko's light._

_-ooOOoo-_

At this point, Inuyasha had lept down from the tree and rested his tired body against the trunk of it. _Dammit! _He cursed himself, pounding his fist into the soft brown earth. The familiar feeling of sorrow was coming back. His breathing stumbled and jerked as hot tears threatened the back of his eyes. The hanyou gritted his teeth as he stood up and began walking across the windblown grass. He approached the small clearing near the tree he had been sitting in and stared out at the night sky.

That memory would haunt his mind forever. Would he even be able to overcome the grief he felt at losing Kikyou? Atleast she didn't die in vain. That much he could hold onto. The hanyou knew she was at peace, and he knew to himself that she truly should never have been brought back into the world in the first place. She did nothing but suffer and struggle through so much, but atleast her passing had been peaceful.

"Kikyou...I," Inuyasha spoke as he gazed up at the sky, forcing his tears back into his head. "Dammit I can't keep doing this to myself. I don't know how to be strong anymore. I feel so helpless. I wonder if I'll ever be okay again."

The hanyou sighed as he turned from the sky and made his way back to the tree. He lay down on his side in the cool grass, allowing the blades to tickle his cheeks. It had been so long since Inuyasha had a good night's sleep. His body and mind were physically and emotionally exhausted. He was right, he couldn't keep doing this to himself. Kikyou wouldn't want that. Kikyou had changed so much from the time she had been ressurected up until now. The hanyou knew that Kikyou had wanted him to go on living. However, how could he now that she was gone? Inuyasha sighed, closing his golden orbs, trying to clear his mind of all thought and memory.

_"Inuyasha," spoke her voice, warm and filled with laughter. The essence of her filled his insides as the hanyou forced his eyes open. _

_He sat up from where he had been laying, gazing down at the place that had so suddenly changed from grass to a plain whitespace. He stared up to see a familiar sparkling light swirling around him and the hanyou stood. There was a gentle, warm breeze that blew past his face and through his ivory tresses, allowing them to blow backward. "I can hear you. Where are you?"_

_"I'm over here, silly," came that voice again. _

_"K-Kikyou!?" Inuyasha questioned incredulously. Was it really true? Could it really be possible that Kikyou was there?_

_"Who else would it be? Now come along with me, Inuyasha. There's something I need to tell you," the miko told him smiling as she advanced towards the hanyou. Her form was glowing with it's own light and she was smiling beautifully. "There's something you need to know."_

_"What is it Kikyou? What do I need to know?" Inuyasha questioned in ernest. _

_"You musn't hurt anymore, Inuyasha," her tender voice filled his ears. She was very close to him now and the hanyou felt the familiar warmth the night she died._

_"Inuyasha, there's still so much for you in the world. There's somebody who would be brokenhearted if you continued on like this," the priestess remarked, as she reached a hand out and held onto his. What was she trying to tell him?_

_"Kikyou, I don't understand. What are you trying to say?" the hanyou replied confused. _

_"Her voice will bring you back," the miko told him. "Stay strong, Inuyasha. Don't let it take over you." Her grip released his as the the woman's body slowly began fading. Kikyou's body began drifting back from the hanyou's. "You'll understand, I promise."_

_"Kikyou, wait! Don't go! Don't leave me again! Kikyou! KIKYOUUUUUUUUUU!!!" Inuyasha cried out, chasing after the fading woman. He reached his arms out to grasp her body in his, but grabbed nothing but air._

"Inuyasha! INUYASHA! Open your eyes!" came a voice very near him. It was so familiar and filled with worry. He felt small, delicate hands on his shoulders gently shaking him. "Please wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

"Kikyou!?" the hanyou, still half asleep cried out her name. "What did you mean!"

Kagome dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms comfortingly around the hanyou. She began caressing his silvery-white head gently, shooshing him and rocking him slightly. "It's okay, Inuyasha. I'm here. I'm right here. You were having a bad dream is all. Everything is okay. I'm here now," the miko soothed him.

"K-Kagome?" Inuyasha asked as he began to awaken. He breathed in her beautiful scent and allowed the young woman to hold him. "Please just...just hold me. Don't let me go. Just hold me."

"Alright Inuyasha, I'll hold you. I'll stay right here with you," Kagome reassured him. i _What could he have been dreaming about? I know he was dreaming about Kikyou...I mean that's to be expected, right? Was he dreaming about her dying again? /i _the miko wondered to herself as she held and comforted the broken hanyou the best she could. Atleast he was allowing her to do this much for him.

_Kagome's embrace is so comforting. I always want to be held like this by her, but why is this so hard? Why can't I just let things be like this always? Why do I keep being so cruel to Kagome? I just want to stay like this forever. I wish there was some way I could just turn this pain off, release it and let Kagome be my strength. If I were to do that, then I could feel happy again. What if though...what if I grow even more closer to Kagome only to have the same thing happen to her like it did Kikyou? What if I can't save her? What if she suffers because I'm too pathetic to keep her safe? I...I can't allow this to go on anymore. I can't let myself feel like this for her. If I lose Kagome too, this is going to kill me._

Inuyasha relished a few more moments of Kagome's embrace before he pushed the girl off of him with slight force. Kagome fell backward rather abruptly. She quickly threw her arms back to catch herself and stared up at him with shock and hurt on her face. Why did he just do that? Didn't Inuyasha just beg her to hold him? Didn't he want Kagome as his source of comfort through this? The hanyou stared down at Kagome, but not with that usual cold, harsh gaze. It was a look of distress and sorrow, almost as if he were straining against wanting to stoop down to her and gather her in his arms or run away from her. He chose the latter as he began taking steps backward from her.

"Inuyasha, I don't...," Kagome began, but she was cut off by a rough shake of the hanyou's head.

"Kagome stop...I just...I can't do this right now," Inuyasha stated, not exactly sure what he meant himself. He averted his eyes from Kagome and turned his body as he began to quickly move through the trees. "I'm sorry, Kagome."

Kagome stared at him shock as she watched the hanyou's retreating back. She reached one hand out to him, silently wanting him to come back for her, but he disappeared into the night. _Why, Inuyasha...I don't understand. Just tell me, why do you keep pushing me away like this!?_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Miroku's Confrontation

Three days later, the group had set off yet again from the village they had previously stayed at. The humans there had shown decent hospitality and the ladies had given plenty attention to the handsome monk. However, that had earned him quite a few lumps on top of his head, being hit by Sango's Hiraikotsu. Inuyasha and Kagome had barely spoken a word to each other, and if they did it was rather abrupt. They wouldn't look each other in the eye either. The taijiya and the houshi had taken to observing the two's actions which were far from normal. They both wondered what had happened the night Kagome went out on her own to find Inuyasha.

The miko had awoken to a terrible feeling that something was happening to the hanyou. However when Kagome came back, it was obvious to the monk and demon slayer that she had been crying. The young woman had taken to pulling her sleeping bag up over her raven head and ceasing contact with any of them. It was bad enough that Inuyasha and Kagome had barely spoken a word to each other since she had approached him that night, now Kagome wasn't speaking a word to anybody, including Shippou. The miko had found the hanyou having a terrible dream or so she thought. His forehead had been beaded with sweat, and he was whimpering Kikyou's name. Kagome didn't want to tell any of her friends that this was what she witnessed.

The very next day she had stayed inside of the hut buried in her sleeping bag, refusing to speak with anyone. The miko had not even wanted to budge, and when Sango came in to offer her food Kagome had declined it. They knew something was up. Something terrible had to of happened for the young priestess to completely close herself off like this. Inuyasha was spending a lot of time in the trees as well, his usual melancholy self since Kikyou had passed. Miroku had went after him, asking him to come down, but the hanyou just growled and ignored him, moving to another tree.

Later that evening, Kagome had finally come out of the hut. As she peered around the faint darkness of the small building for her friends, Kagome realized nobody was in there with her. She went outside to find Miroku and Sango sitting side by side talking quietly to each other. Polietly apologizing for the intrusion, Kagome let the others know she was up, awake and feeling refreshed from her day of resting. They had both been very happy to see that Kagome had gotten up and had asked how she was feeling. Kagome lied, putting on a false smile and told them she was fine. The houshi and slayer knew better as the watched Kagome tottering off towards the bath house. They had both spent the day near the hut, hearing her muffled sobs off and on throughout the day and the saddened whispers of Inuyasha's name. Something had happened between her and the hanyou and they wanted to get to the bottom of it without seeming too pushy or nosey.

The day they all left, Kagome seemed back to her normal, smiling and cheerful self except that she was not quite as talkative as she normally was. It was late afternoon, slowly approaching the evening. The air was cooling down and the sun's rays weren't quite so scorching. Shippou was down on the ground running around and frolicing with Kirara, laughing soundly while the firecat mewed back in playful response. Sango and Miroku walked side by side conversing quietly while Inuyasha walked a few feet ahead of the others. The hanyou's arms were folded up in the sleeves of his fire rat haori, and his snow white head bowed as if he were deep in thought.

Kagome was the same way, however she was not facing down. She was walking near Sango, gazing upward at the blue, sunny sky, shouldering her bow and quiver of arrows, keeping a firm hold on the bow's handle. The miko seemed to just be staring off into nothing. It was as if she weren't looking at the sky but rather her mind was elsewhere which was no surprise. Sango and Miroku could only guess Kagome was thinking about the inu-hanyou. Miroku cleared his throat, as though he were about to say something when he was cut off. The comrades were abruptly interrupted in their thoughts when a loud scream pierced the air.

"OWWWW!! OWW OWW OWWWWWWWW!!! It hurts! It hurts REEEEEEEEEALLY BAD!!!" came a howl from the little kitsune's mouth. Shippou lay sprawled out on the ground, bleeding somewhat rapidly from a newly formed cut in his leg. Inuyasha stopped and turned around to look down at the kit while Kirara hurred to his side, mewing worriedly.

The miko looked down at him as she was snapped from her thoughts and noticed a gash in his right leg. Shippou was crying loudly as he moved to sit on his bottom, clutching his wounded limb. Kagome breathed a small sigh of relief as she realized it was just an ordinary cut and of course Shippou being a child, would react over dramtically to it. Gazing around, her eyes fell on the trunk of a tree that had been freshly sliced. It was obvious the tree had been cut down for firewood or the like just recently. Nevertheless, it made a decent spot for Kagome to sit so she could fix up the kit's injured leg.

"Calm down and sit over here with me Shippou," stated Kagome, patting the trunk of the tree gently with her hand. "I'll take care of your leg for you," she added warmly.

"Are you okay there, Shippou?" asked Sango as she bent over, placing her hands on her knees. looking down at the kitsune's wound. "That looks like a pretty bad cut, how on ear-," the taijiya never got to finish what she was going to say.

Miroku had taken the advantage of groping her rear-end while Sango was checking on the little fox youkai's injury. He had a content smile on his face which earned a 'keh' from the hanyou and eye-rolls from Inuyasha and Kagome both.

"HENTAI!" yelled Sango as she raised a hand and slapped him gingerly across the face. "This is hardly the time! Shippou just got hurt you know!" she faced the monk, balling her fists at her sides as her left eye twitched.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't restrain myself seeing your flawless body bent over like that," replied Miroku with the strange grin still on his face. He rubbed the red handprint left on his cheek from the slayer's brutal hand. "I mean how often is it that you _do_ bend over like that? Such a beautiful picture. It's the perfect opportunity for me to-," he attempted to finish before Sango was bearing down on him again.

"JUST BECAUSE I'M BENT OVER DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GROPE AS YOU PLEASE, MONK!" the slayer snapped. "Keep your hands to yourself, you pervert!"

During the commotion between the lecherous monk and the fiesty taijiya, the little fox youkai whimpered loudly as he limped over to where Kagome sat. The miko just shook her head in an amused manner at the unchaste houshi and scooted a bit so Shippou would have room to sit next to her. The young priestess removed the giant, yellow bag from her back and sat it down next to her, flipping open the top. Kagome reached inside and removed a big first aid kit she always carried with her in case she or her comrades were in any type of danger and had injured themselves in the process. The kit scrambled up onto the tree trunk and snuggled next to Kagome, clutching his bleeding leg.

"Alright now Shippou, just calm down. We'll fix this right up for you," Kagome remarked soothingly to the little kit. The young priestess opened the big box and removed some gauze bandages and some of the medicinal ointment she had brewed up with Kaede the last time the gang had been in the village. Setting to work on the little youkai's leg, Kagome continued talking to help relax Shippou a bit. "So tell me, how exactly did you hurt your leg?"

"W-well, I was running with K-Kirara. We were chasing a f-f-few butterflies together and and I d-didn't see the big rock because I-I was too busy looking up at the b-butterflies," Shippou started to explain between sniffles. He never noticed that Kagome was rubbing the wound with the medicinal ointment now. He raised his little hands up to his face to wipe his eyes and nose and continued. "And and I t-tripped and f-fell on the rock and c-cut my l-leg open! It really hurts bad, Kagome!!" Fresh wails errupted from the little fox youkai but were soon silenced by Kagome's gentle voice.

"Well that sounds like quite a big fall you had there Shippou, but look!" Kagome began pointing down at the white bandages surrounding the kit's leg. "It looks like your wound is going to be just fine," she added reassuringly. The miko smiled down at the little fox youkai who's big, green eyes were glistening with tears. He looked down at his leg and smiled widely. The gash had been cleaned, treated with the ointment, and dressed to perfection.

"Thank you so much, Kagome!" Shippou exclaimed, leaping up to the girl and throwing his little arms around her neck.

Kagome just giggled as she hugged the little one back. "You're welcome, Shippou. That worked out nicely for you huh? So, does it still hurt?"

A rather pouty expression appeared back on the kitsune's face. "Yeah it does. I don't think I'll be able to walk for awhile," the little kit replied, with a faux whine behind his voice, sticking his bottom lip out somewhat. Kagome had to hold back a giggle, knowing that Shippou was just acting this way to get attention and compassion from his friends since he got hurt. Kirara lept up to Shippou and nuzzled him, mewing softly.

"Keh, let's just stop for a break so Shippou's leg can take a rest," came the hanyou's voice as his back stayed turned towards the others, his arms still folded. Inuyasha lifted his head to sniff the air around him. "Besides, I can smell water nearby. I'm sure you guys are hungry. It's nearing dinner time, anyway."

Before anybody could say anything, Inuyasha had taken off to where the river was flowing, his intentions to catch some fish for his friends. Kagome just stared somewhat sadly at the hanyou's retreating back. She reached down to the first aid kit, put the items used back in their proper place, flipped the lid shut and stuffed it back into her massive, yellow backpack. The girl pulled the bag back over her shoulders and sat on the stump, gazing at him and wondering if while he was fishing she could maybe get some time alone to talk with him? After thinking it over for a moment, she then decided that the attempt probably wouldn't even be worth it since the Inuyasha barely spoke to her anymore. Before she could stand, Kagome felt a large, warm hand place itself on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Are you going to go after him, Kagome-sama?" came the houshi's voice placidly.

Kagome sighed and stared up at Miroku, deep despondency in her eyes. Sango had now approached his side and gazed down at the miko as well as if trying to observe her feelings. It wasn't very hard to once the taijiya caught the look in Kagome's eyes. There was that remote kindness in both the slayer and the monk's gazes which made Kagome feel grateful for having these two as her friends. "It's hardly an option, is it? I mean what's the point? Even if I try to talk to him, he's just going to push me away again."

The miko stood up, gathering her things and stared up at Miroku and Sango. They looked down at the girl sympatheticlly, taking in the anguish she had written all over her face. Kagome had been trying so hard to stay cheerful and be herself, but every since Inuyasha had went into his tempermental mode and had been treating the hurt priestess the way he had, Kagome had just not been herself. "Sorry you guys, to get you involved in all of this," Kagome apologized quietly before heading in the same direction the hanyou had went.

"You've got to hand it to her, she's really strong for being able to put up with what she does from Inuyasha," Sango pointed out as the watched Kagome disappear behind the tall grass and trees.

Miroku could do nothing, but just nod his head slowly in agreement with the slayer. "I can only guess that it is because she loves him," the monk pointed out softly.

The young miko found herself going down a somewhat steep, tree-covered hill. Kagome was moving a bit too quickly for her liking as she continued downward towards the river. Nearly losing her footing, the miko had to gather her bearings before toppling over headfirst. As the young woman found herself coming closer and closer to the river, she heart quite a commotion coming from the water. Her eyes met Inuyasha's form as he attempted to catch the fish for her and the others. Kagome's instincts kicked in and she found a rather large boulder perched on the hill.

The miko hid behind it and peered over it's rocky surface, watching the hanyou catch one fish right after the other and rather noisily so. He was cursing at the fish and causing quite the splash as he dove for one right after the other. It was a rather comical sight and it almost seemed that the half youkai was back to his old self. Soon, Inuyasha had gathered a small pile of carp fish. Leaping out of the water, he crouched on all fours and shook himself off in a very dog-like way, spraying water in every direction nearly earning a giggle from Kagome. She clasped her hands over her mouth to hold it back.

The hanyou stood and gathered the fish by their tails in one clawed hand and began trudging back up the hill. As he advanced up the hill, Inuyasha stopped, flicked his ears and lifted his keen nose, sniffing around him. _Hmmm, so she's nearby. I wonder if I should go find her? Kagome...if you only you knew how hard this was for me, to be so close to you and know that I might lose you too... _the hanyou thought to himself as he picked up Kagome's gentle scent. He wondered if maybe he should follow her scent and find out where she was hiding, but decided against it. He needed to hurry and get the fish back to his friends so they could eat. After that he could scout out the area, making sure it would be a safe place for them to rest. So far it had. The air smelled pure and no youkai seemed to be in the area. Inuyasha gazed around the place they had come to, deciding that since it was nearing dusk, this would be the best place to set up camp since he didn't sense anything evil. The half youkai continued up the hill and right past where Kagome was hiding, pretending as if he didn't even sense her there.

Kagome released another sigh as she watched Inuyasha's face while he extended up the hill and back towards the group. She had caught the hanyou's expression and it was just as disconsolate as it had always been here recently, despite his facetious endevours in the lake. The girl moved from her hiding spot, hearing the happy cries initiating from Shippou. It was obvious Inuyasha had returned to the group with their dinner, and before long, she could smell the smoke coming from the fire, along with the scent of cooking fish. However, the miko didn't feel hungry. Instead, she got up from her hiding place and continued down the hill towards the water. Kagome peered down into the sparkling, blue depths, watching a small waterfall just a ways down the riverbed cascading down a series of several jagged rocks. The sun was lowering now, set about midway in the sky. The warm rays of light cast over the water made it appear as though it were shimmering.

The little miko found herself a comfortable spot in the grass and removed her bow, quiver of arrows and backpack from her back. _I can take this time to get some work done while the others are eating. Hopefully I won't be going back home to a test..._Kagome thought worriedly as she flipped open her algebra book and removed some paper and pencil from her bag. She studied the words and the numbers on the page, but soon found her mind wandering aimlessly. The book, pencil and paper lay completely forgotten as Kagome rolled onto her belly and began to touch her bow. She ran her hand down it's smooth, wooden base and fingers over the soft cloth that centered the weapon. Kagome soon found her mind completely lost from her school studies and venturing elsewhere as she stared at the weapon. Just from it's touch Kagome could feel the power flowing within the bow, the bow that should have went to Kikyou.

_Kikyou...why did you have to die? Why couldn't I have been strong enough to save you? I thought I had, but...Kikyou, it's all my fault that you're not here anymore. I think even Inuyasha blames me for not being able to save you. That purifying arrow I shot...I really thought it would have saved you...it only purified you. I couldn't protect you, Kikyou, and I'm so sorry. If only I had the strength you did when you were alive, I could have saved you and Inuyasha would...he wouldn't be..._

_ Oh Kikyou, what can I do? Inuyasha is hurting so much. He dreams of you all the time. I always hear him whisper your name when he thinks nobody is listening. I've heard him cry for you too. Can you give me some sort of strength or power to help him heal from this wound your leaving the world has given him? Do you have faith in me to save him? I know you don't want Inuyasha to die, Kikyou. I know you want him to continue on living. If you wanted him to die, you would have killed him when you were leaving the world of living too, wouldn't you have? Kikyou...did you leave Inuyasha for me? _

The young miko was interrupted in her thoughts by a gentle tap on the shoulder. Kagome peered back over her shoulder slightly startled to see Sango crouched down next to her with a sweet smile on her face. Kagome sat up on her knees and smiled back. "You okay, Kagome-chan?" the taijiya questioned worriedly, keeping a hand over her friend's.

"Oh! Sango-chan...yeah, I was just working on some school work...or atleast trying to," the miko sighed as she lowered her head, gazing at her hands in her lap.

"This has got to be so hard for you, Kagome-chan. Have you tried talking to him?" the demon exterminator questioned curiously.

"Well, a little that night I went to find him. I almost got him to open up to me, but...he stopped before he got any further," Kagome sighed, laying back down on her stomach and resting her chin back into her hands.

"Kagome-chan, tonight's the night of the new moon, isn't it? Maybe with Inuyasha being in human form and being vulnerable, you can chance it? Maybe he'll open up his heart to you more tonight?" the slayer pointed out thoughtfully.

"Hmm that might not be a bad idea," Kagome said softly to herself. The saddened miko gazed up at the sun starting to set in the sky. "Sango-chan, do you think we can talk about this another time? Night hasn't fallen yet and I'm sure Inuyasha's senses are still really good. He might overhear us and I don't want to do anything at all to upset him."

"Of course, Kagome-chan, I understand. When you're ready to talk more about it, you know where to find me," Sango told her gently. She removed her hand from the Kagome's hand and stood up, smoothing out her long kimono. "You should really come up and have something to eat. It's not good to let yourself go too long without food," the slayer added before she walked away.

"Thanks Sango-chan. I'll be there in a little bit," Kagome told her as she sat back up the grass. She gathered her school things and shoved them back in her bag. There was no sense in studying now. Too much was going through the frustrated little miko's mind and she just couldn't concentrate. "I suppose I should try and eat something," Kagome said to herself as she closed up her bag, re-shouldered her new bow and quiver of arrows.

She carried her bag in one hand, nearly dragging it as she made her way back to camp. The sight that met Kagome's eyes was just as she expected. Sango and Miroku were already preparing the bedding for them to sleep in tonight while Shippou finished eating the last of his dinner. Inuyasha was standing a ways away from the group as he usually had done the past couple of weeks, staring off into space. Shippou's head perked up as Kagome approached the others and she sat her stuff down on the ground next to the sleeping bag Sango had prepared for her. Inuyasha flicked his ears and sniffed quietly as he picked up Kagome's scent, but just barely. The sun was nearly set in the sky. Tonight was the night of the new moon and Inuyasha would be human throughout the night. This didn't help his current situation in the least. Growling softly in frustration, the hanyou walked away from where he was standing and back out towards the trees, leaving his comrades to stare in a somewhat confused manner at his retreating form

_Did he growl because of Kagome-sama joining us again? _The houshi thought to himself, rubbing the bottom of his chin with his finger and staring harshly at Inuyasha.

He had sensed their confusion and Kagome's as well, but hers seemed to dig deeper than confusion, something that the hanyou couldn't even bring himself to comprehend at the moment. However at this point nothing at all mattered to Inuyasha. He was in this alone. He had to face his pain alone and whether he would surpass it and live or it would slowly kill him would be up to Inuyasha. What the hell did they know anyway? They weren't suffering from Kikyou's death like he was. The hanyou had to admit though, that the dream of Kikyou he had experienced a few nights ago had somewhat comforted his heart, but not to the point of making all of his pain go away. It was still so hard to just pick up his feet and move on.

_Kikyou...what were you trying to tell me that night I was dreaming of you? What is so important...who will heartbroken if I continue to hurt? Did you mean Kagome? Why would Kagome be heartbroken if I'm the one that's hurting? Kikyou...you told me that I shouldn't hurt anymore, but how do you expect me to just shut something off like that? What more is there for me in this world with you being gone? The night you left me, it was as if you were carrying my soul with you. I feel like I'm just deteriorating without you here anymore. Kikyou...you had said her voice would bring me back. Who's voice did you mean? How could something like that bring me back? I don't understand, Kikyou. Will you come and see me again? Will you see me in another dream and explain more to me? Will you continue to comfort my heart while I sleep?_

Inuyasha made his way down the grassy slope back out towards the river once more. He stared down at his hands as he slowly felt the demonic energy leave his body. The hanyou watched his long claws slowly shrink until they reached just below his fingertips. His long tresses of hair changed from ivory to raven. Inuyasha felt his dog ears move down his head to appear along his jawline reforming themselves into a fine human shape, and Inuyasha's eyes changed from a deep amber hue to stormy blue-grey.He closed his eyes as the powerless sensation brushed over his body and the hanyou turned human clenched his fists angrily at his sides. Inuyasha _loathed _being in this form. He was always overwhelmed with human emotions and human weaknesses. Given his state of mind about Kikyou at the present time, being human didn't solve his problem. If anything it made him feel worse and that infuriated him.

Inuyasha seated himself against a rather tall tree, staring at the river water as it gently sloshed downstream from the impact of the waterfall. Right now, for the first time in a very long time, the hanyou turned human felt alone. He felt like he had been abandoned in the world with nobody there to keep him going or nobody there to share the feelings that he was experiencing. His mother had died and left him, he never knew his father, and Kikyou was gone now too. Then, without warning, Inuyasha felt the overwhelming innervation of wanting Kagome next to his side, comforting him and reminding him that she was there for him.

Kagome _could_ be there with him, and Inuyasha never realized that until just now. He truly wasn't alone. Kagome was always by his side through everything he had been through. She had thrown herself over him to protect him numerous times, even burnt her feet in youkai acid for his sake. That day he had thought to himself that he was truly happy that Kagome was by his side. She had embraced him the night he had awoken from that dream of Kikyou. This feeling was stretching him, ripping at him inside with invisible claws. This insatiable urge to have Kagome next to him was nearly shredding the hanyou turned human's insides. He knew if he allowed Kagome any further into his heart, that if Naraku got wind of the deep feelings he had always carried for Kagome, that the miko would be his next target. If Naraku's spiderwebs tainted Kikyou to the point of killing her, surely he'd do the same thing to Kagome? All these thoughts rushed through Inuyasha's mind as he sat gazing at the star-filled, moonless firament when it hit him.

_Kagome...that night you held me in your arms, told me that you were there for me, I never wanted you to let go of me. All the times you've been there for me, you have no idea how much they all mean to me. I've watched you shed so many tears for me and in return I've done nothing but always want to protect you. What I want more than anything right now is to feel your embrace. I want to feel your touch, holding me. I want to hear your voice reassuring me that everything will be okay.. It had been so comforting, as if you were sharing my pain, but how could you be? _

_I wish you were here with me right now, Kagome but I'm scared. I don't know how to stop pushing you away from me and I know it's probably hurting you, but I'm doing it for a reason. I mean it's got to be hurting you, but you must understand why. I just don't know how to tell you. I know you've always been there by my side, but now, you're in even more danger than maybe even you realized...but then again you've always been in danger when you're next to me, and that never stopped you before. Kagome...I don't want Naraku to see how deeply my feelings run for you. He'll use you against me to try and do everything he can to destroy me...I don't want that to happen to you, Kagome. I don't want to see you suffer like Kikyou did._

Inuyasha was interrupted in his thoughts by a sigh coming from behind him. He turned his dark head towards where the source of the sound came from and gazed up at the form of Miroku. He walked past the hanyou turned human and seated himself on the ground cross-legged in front of Inuyasha. The monk stared fixedly into the hanyou's grey-blue orbs as though trying to determine the best way to engage in a conversation.

"What the hell do you want?" Inuyasha asked arrogantly, turning his head upward and closing his eyes. He kept his arms folded inside of his fire rat haori. Miroku confronting him was the last thing he needed right now.

"You and I need to have a talk, man to man," Miroku stated simply, resting his staff across his lap, causing it to jingle softly. Inuyasha could tell that the monk wasn't about to get up and move anytime soon.

"Keh, what's there to talk about?" Inuyasha questioned, looking back at the houshi and trying to keep the angry expression on his features.

"We need to talk about what you're doing to Kagome-sama," the houshi replied, slightly glaring now at the hanyou turned human.

"What! What do you mean what _I'm_ doing to Kagome!? I haven't done a DAMN thing to her!" the boy snapped at Miroku.

"That's exactly the point I'm trying to make, Inuyasha. Every since Kikyou-sama passed away, you've done nothing but neglect Kagome-sama," Miroku sighed with a shake of his head. "I'm not the only one who's noticed it either."

"Neglect! How the fuck am I neglecting her! It's not like she's going around starving to death or anything!" the half youkai shot back. If anything this conversation was not helping his already bad temper.

"Well let's see, you don't carry Kagome on your back anymore, you don't speak to her, whenever she even remotely attempts to approach you, you run off from her and leave her hurting and confused," Miroku began, holding his head up with his eyes closed. As he named each fault, he counted them out on his fingers further irritating Inuyasha who was now growling through clenched teeth. Once he quieted, the monk leaned over really close to Inuyasha's face, staring at him intently before raising his fist and bashing the hanyou turned human over the head.

"HEY! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR!?" Inuyasha exploded, leaping towards Miroku with his fists balled up.

The monk just kept his head up, lips pursed and eyes half lidded as he stared at Inuyasha sardonically. It was almost as if the hanyou's rage was boring him. "That was supposed to make you realize that YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE HURTING HERE!" shouted the houshi as he now stood up, towering over Inuyasha. Even though he was a hanyou in his human form, the terrible power eminating off of the monk's body was almost like lightning threatening to strike him. Only a few times had Inuyasha ever witnessed this and it was usually when somebody had threatened Sango's life. It could be somewhat frightening. If Inuyasha hadn't been in human form tonight, he probably wouldn't have felt slightly fearful from Miroku's sudden accost.

"KAGOME-SAMA HAS SACRIFICED A LOT FOR YOU! SHE'S DONE NOTHING BUT TRY AND BE THERE FOR YOU! YOU'RE JUST TOO MUCH OF A BAKA TO REALIZE THAT!" the monk continued roaring at the rather shocked hanyou sitting on the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO!? JUST JUMP INTO KAGOME'S ARMS!? DON'T YOU FUCKING GET IT MIROKU!? WHY DO YOU THINK ONE OF THE REASONINGS BEHIND NARAKU ENDING KIKYOU'S LIFE WAS!?" Inuyasha bellowed back at the monk, taking him by slight surprise.

"Why should it matter the reasonings behind Naraku taking Kikyou-sama's life? Are you that worried that Naraku is going to try and do the same thing to Kagome-sama if he realizes what's happening between the two of you? It's delusive, Inuyasha because we know the feelings you have for Kagome-sama! Are you just going to continue on hurting her the way you have been because of Kikyou? We all know that you miss her, Inuyasha, but does that mean you're going to completely shove Kagome-sama's feelings aside as if they were nothing?" the monk questioned, staring derisively straight into the hanyou's eyes.

He didn't stop for a moment to give Inuyasha a chance to speak. It was almost as if Miroku had been wanting to let him know all of this for awhile now. "Are you just going to continue to let her run on the cold, hard ground and try to keep up the pace with us? I know you haven't been carrying her. Her feet are sore and her legs hurt from trying to keep up with you, but have you ever once heard her complain? Of course not. Kagome-sama doesn't want to feel like she's a nuisance to you! She's done nothing but try and comfort you for the past two weeks. You just keep pushing her away. Before you know it, we're going to lose Kagome-sama and then what will you do? Inuyasha, there is more in this world than just Kikyou. We all know how you felt about Kikyou-sama, but Kagome-sama is still here, so are you going to just up and forget about her completely?"

Inuyasha stood with his arms folded and averted his anger-filled eyes towards the ground, not able to meet Miroku's look anymore. Everything that houshi was saying...was it all really true? Had he really been that cold to Kagome? He hadn't been carrying her like usual, and she was on the ground a lot more except for in necessary circumstances when she couldn't make it over a cliff or boulder on her own. He hadn't been speaking to her like normal, but hell he hadn't even been speaking to anybody. The hanyou didn't want to discuss Kikyou's death nor his feelings with anyone. This was his pain, his problem and he'd deal with it on his own.

"I...I _never _wanted to just shove Kagome's feelings aside. I...I can't talk about this with you Miroku," the hanyou turned human stated as he continued to stare at the ground. He picked up his feet and walked briskly past the monk, still not making eye contact with him. _I'm sorry, Miroku...I know what you were trying to say but I need some time to think about things..._

_Inuyasha, you're such a fool...you don't even realize that Kagome-sama is here and ready to offer you the comfort you need. Or maybe you do and you choose not to accept it? We all know Kagome-sama isn't Kikyou, but there is no excuse for you to treat her the way you have been. _The houshi thought furiously as he watched Inuyasha's departing form. He kept his eyes on the hanyou turned human until he disappeared in the darkness. Miroku sighed, closed his eyes and shook his head before heading back to camp. As he reapproached his comrades, Miroku saw Kagome. The miko was sitting up by the fire, hugging her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on her folded arms as she gazed into the dancing flames. Sango was curled up in a sleeping bag, dozing next to the miko. Miroku approached them quietly and seated himself next to Kagome.

"I've just been to see Inuyasha," the houshi told the girl as he laid his staff down next to him.

"Oh? Did you guys talk much?" Kagome asked, peeking her head up in interest.

"Not so much. However I do feel that he should not be alone tonight. He's by the river. Why don't you go down and try to talk to him?" Miroku suggested as he began warming his cold hands in front of the fire.

"You really think he'll listen to me?" Kagome asked sadly, staring up at the houshi.

"He's in his human form tonight. We all know that this is Inuyasha's most vulnerable state. I think if you were to try and get anywhere with him tonight would be it," the monk pointed out.

"Hmmm, yes I suppose you're right. I'll go see him then," the miko nodded, rising to her feet and brushing off her skirt. The girl turned to go out towards the river, but she stopped and turned back for a moment. "Thanks, Miroku-sama," Kagome obliged. Miroku just smiled back as Kagome left the camp and walked down the familiar hill she had earlier.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called softly in the darkness. She peered around trying to get her eyes to adjust, but it was so dark that she could barely see a thing. "Inuyasha, where are you?" The miko continued down the hill slowly, holding her hands out in front of her in case she ran into anything. "Inuyasha please. You've got to be somewhere!" Kagome gasped as she felt herself run into something soft and warm. She felt two hands grasp onto her arms before she felt herself being drawn into a tight, warm and comforting embrace. "Inuyasha," the miko whispered as she buried her face into Inuyasha's fire rat haori, taking in his masculine scent.

"Kagome," came his voice softly above her ear. He continued to hold the girl tightly and Kagome returned the favor. The young woman wrapped her arms around his waist and held onto him as if she never wanted to let go of him.

"You know, you really shouldn't be out here all alone," the miko scolded gently. "Not on a night like tonight." The hanyou didn't respond. He just continued to hold Kagome close to his chest. Kagome's heart lept into her throat as she felt the hanyou turned human's body began to tremble as they held one another. "I-Inuyasha? Are you...are you okay?"

"I'll...be okay," he replied still continuing to hold her. "I just...need you to be here by me right now. It's just...I hate being human," Inuyasha admitted to her.

"Well, it's really dark and somewhat cold," Kagome stated, feeling her body errupt with goosebumps. Whether or not they were from the chilly night or from Inuyasha holding her so close, Kagome wasn't sure. It felt like it had been ages since she was held like this by him. "Why don't we atleast start a fire or go back to camp?"

"No," replied Inuyasha hoarsely. "Let's just go sit by the river. The stars are bright and if we can get out of the trees, it won't be so dark."

"Alright then," the confused miko nodded her head.

She felt the hanyou turned human's hand close warmly over her own and she squeezed his gently back. _Why on earth is Inuyasha acting this way? Had Miroku possibly said something to him that might have changed his mind on things?_ The two made their way down the rest of the hill before Kagome finally could see where she was going. The stars were sparkling off of the water's ripples and she gazed upward as the two seated themselves. Every moonless night that the miko could recall did it seem that the stars twinkled and shone even more brighter than usual in the massive, midnight blue blanket above them.

_Atleast tonight...Naraku won't know I'm with her. He won't know I'm close to her...He won't know my feelings for her. As long as I can continue to hold up my front, Naraku won't have an advantage to her. _"Kagome...I'm sorry," Inuyasha began softly as he sat cross-legged on the ground, watching the consecutive flow of the river. "I haven't been myself lately."

"It's okay, Inuyasha. It's been hard for all of us recently. As time goes though, things will get better," the miko encouraged him. However, she watched the hanyou visibly shake his head.

"It's not okay, Kagome...I don't know why I feel the way I do or I am the way I am right now. I don't know if I'll ever really feel better," he admitted. "Things are just...Kikyou...you...she...," the boy struggled to find the proper words.

"Can you...can you tell me about it? Can you talk to me about Kikyou?" Kagome asked softly. "I mean if you can tell me, maybe it'll help you feel better? I promise I'm not going to get angry," she added as an afterthough, hoping that this might help the hanyou open up to her more.

"Keh," came Inuyasha's reply. "I...I don't know if I can talk about it. I mean, talking about it isn't exactly going to bring her back, is it?" His voice was becoming somewhat defensive now and he felt Kagome draw slightly away from him. If he had his dog ears tonight, they would definantly be drooping as her touch left his. "Dammit, I didn't mean it like that, Kagome," he sighed apologetically.

"I...I understand, I think. You can...tell me about it when you're ready I suppose. I just want to know...how can I make this easier for you?" the miko questioned softly, drawing her knees up once more.

Inuyasha studied the girl next to him. Why did this have to be so hard? Why did he have to go and hurt her again? He could tell by the way her body language was that she was hurting. But so was he, and how was he supposed to cope with that? _Dammit, I just went and fucked up again! I can't do this right now! I can't talk about this yet. I'm not ready to. I'm sorry Kagome...I wish I could just come out and say the feelings I feel for you, but at the same time...Kikyou...her passing...it's just too soon. I can't just open my heart to you yet._

"Dammit, I'm sorry Kagome," the boy reiterated. "I just...this is too soon. I just can't do this right now." Panic was taking over his body now. If he opened himself up to Kagome, what could happen? What if he allowed Kagome to completely tranquilize him. What would happen then between him and the miko? Inuyasha stood up and began walking away from Kagome when the confused priestess lept to her feet. No way in HELL was she going to allow this man to walk away from her once more, leaving her abashed and not knowing what to do or say.

"Wait just a minute!" the little miko cried out in fiesty tones. She hurried up to the hanyou turned human and grabbed ahold of his arm. "It's just as simple as that?! How can you just embrace me like that for one minute and then push me away the next?! Why can't you tell me about things that are bothering you?! Why can't you explain to me your feelings?! If you didn't care about me, you wouldn't have held me like that, nor would you have let me hold you the other night either, Inuyasha! So what is it you're hiding from me?! I know you're hurting because of Kikyou, I understand that! However, what I don't understand is the way you keep running from me whenever we get close to breakthrough!" Kagome shouted now, not caring if she was going to upset him anymore. All Inuyasha had been doing was sending her mixed signals and quite honestly, the miko was growing tired of it.

"It's not like that! I just...," Inuyasha began as he tugged his arm forcefully from Kagome's grasp. "IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE!" he turned around, shouting at the young miko. "My...my feelings are complicated!"

Kagome drew back from him gasping lightly. Here it was, she was trying so hard to be there for him, to help comfort him and console him. She wanted to be the one to pick up and mend the broken pieces of his heart, but as long as the half-dog demon kept pushing her away, how on earth would Kagome be able to do that? Kagome stood firm, balling her small hands into tight fists as she watched him start to walk away.

_NO CHANCE! HE IS NOT WALKING AWAY FROM ME THIS TIME! _ The miko gritted her teeth together, baring them slightly and felt the anger billow up inside of her now. Kagome was about to take a step forward to chase him when she felt something cold and slimpy wrap around her leg. Before the miko had a chance to see what had grabbed ahold of her, she was jerked roughly backward. The girl landed hard on her belly and she screamed. Kagome was being dragged regressively towards the riverbed.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! INUYASHAAAAAAAA!" cried out the defenseless young priestess. She grasped at the small rocks littering the ground, trying to find something to hold onto, but to no avail.

Inuyasha whirled around gasping, his eyes widening as he watched Kagome being dragged forcefully towards the river. She was just inches away from it. Her hands reached out to him as he ran towards the helpless miko. "KAGOMEEEEEEEE!"

Inuyasha lept through the air, trying to land close to her, but his human legs were nowhere near as strong nor powerful as his hanyou ones. The hanyou turned human ran as fast as his legs would allow him to. His eyes for Kagome, Inuyasha held out his hands to her, hoping to get to her before whatever had ahold of her pulled the miko under the water. Inuyasha was just about to jump once more when he tripped and lost his footing. He landed hard on the ground, crashing right next to Kagome. Without a second thought, Inuyasha reached out and grabbed the miko's hand. The two clung to each other, their fingertips curling into one another as Kagome held on for dear life.

"INUYASHA, PLEASE!" Kagome pleaded. "DON'T LET GO OF ME!"

"KAGOME HOLD ON!" Inuyasha replied back. "JUST TRY AND HOLD ON!"

Their fingertips were slowly losing strength and the powerful hold on Kagome's leg broke the two apart. Inuyasha made a desperate swipe to grab Kagome's hand, but all he grasped was air. The defenseless miko's body was being pulled down into the river. The only thing that could be heard was her piercing scream before her head plunged forcefully under the surface of the rushing river.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Kagome's Confession

She took a deep breath. The moment her body was sumerged underneath the depths of the river, Kagome felt the impact of the icey waters impaling her flesh. Just by gazing at the river, you would never have been able to tell that it felt this cold once plunged underneath as forcefully and rashly as she had been. Kagome was being pulled expeditiously, being drug helplessly through the freezing, rushing waters that surrounded her. Kagome peered upward but couldn't even see anything through it's black surface. The river had suddenly changed from it's deep blue, sparkling shade to a menacing charcoal black.

As the miko held her breath, she tried to recall if she had felt any demonic aura surrounding the area and found she had not. Gazing downward Kagome saw the green, slimey, scale and spine-covered tentacle that had wrapped itself around her leg. Eyes widening, the frightened miko forced herself to look down the tentacle to see what was attatched to it's end. Kagome wanted to atleast be able to see what had captured her. The miko narrowed her dark eyes, but the tentacle almost seemed to fade into black. She couldn't even see ahead of her it was so dark.

Kagome was beginning to feel her chest tighten from the intensity of air-filled lungs as the young woman struggled to hold her breath. She wouldn't last much longer. _Please...please let Inuyasha or somebody help me before that happens...please... _She was being drug even further down and Kagome's mouth burst open, bubbles issuing from it as she released the oxygen that had been in her lungs. Everything around her was beginning to become hazy and blurry before her very eyes. _Inu...yasha..._ Everything thing she could see began to close in around her like a deep, darkened tunnel, fading away from her vision. The miko soon fell unconcious.

oo00oo

"NO!! DAMMIT!" roared Inuyasha as his fist met the ground, one consecutive pound right after the other into the earth beneath him.

The hanyou turned human's knuckles were bleeding from the impact his hand made on the rocky surface. Feeling completely debilitated and helpess, the young man sat staring fixedly into the black surface of the rushing waters, his fists clenching tightly as he gritted his teeth and growled. The raven-haired man lept to his feet, instinctively placing his hand around the hilt of Tetsusaiga. Even though the sword wouldn't transform for him yet, Inuyasha could still use the fang blade as a weapon if need be. He couldn't give up hope now. Inuyasha was a decently good swimmer. He could go and rescue Kagome in his human form and cut off whatever it was that was holding her leg. Yes, that's just what he'd do. The hanyou was trying his best to build his confidence at being able to save her. As long as he knew the miko was in danger, Inuyasha would risk his life for her. There was no just standing there and waiting for her to resurface. He had to do this _now_.

"Just because I'm human, doesn't mean I'm giving up! I'm NOT giving up on you! KAGOME! YOU JUST HOLD ON! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" the hanyou yelled almost desperately.

Not only was Inuyasha enraged that Kagome had been taken right out from underneath his very, vulnerable hands, but he was furious with himself. If the hanyou turned human hadn't of been so stupid and tried to run away from her again then the defenseless miko never would have been pulled under the river. Was this a set up or some kind of trap? How come Kagome, Sango or Miroku never sensed a demonic aura around the area? Why didn't he catch the scent of the beast as he so normally had? Maybe it was because of him loosing his youkai power, or it could have possibly been something else? Was the thing that pulled Kagome under a youkai or just some kind of mutated creature? Whatever it was, Inuyasha didn't know. The hanyou turned human had not even seen anything grab Kagome. Could the thing that have taken her, been invisible?

"Inuyasha! INUYASHAAAAA!!" came the cries of Miroku and Shippou as they came hurtling towards the raven-haired young man. Sango was following hot on their heels, astride Kirara's tufted back. It was the middle of the night and Inuyasha was still rendered helpless, with no demonic power to use his Sakontessou or his transforming Tetsusaiga. All he had now was his own human strength and a non-transforming, fanged sword.

"Kirara, stay here and protect Shippou," Sango commanded to the firecat gently as she jumped down from her furry back. "Where's Kagome-chan!?" the slayer exclaimed, as ran to join Miroku and Inuyasha.

"Kagome was pulled under the water!" the hanyou told them, whirling around to face his comrades. "I can't stand here pussyfooting around. I have to go and save her!" Inuyasha snapped. The young man reached up to his neck, swiftly removed the crimson haori from his body, and he tossed it aside on the ground. _This will only slow me down...plus Kagome can wear it once I rescue her so she won't be cold from the water. _ Inuyasha began running towards the water, withdrawing the rusted, jarred-looking blade of a sword from it's black, wooden sheath that hung at his left side. "Otherwise she's gonna drown!" Inuyasha's grey-blue eyes narrowed as his friends stared back at him worriedly. _And if she dies, it'll be my fault..._

"What was she pulled under by?" Sango asked, approaching the hanyou.

"I don't know! I didn't even see anything grab her! I can't sit here and waste anymore damn time! I gotta get in that water!" Inuyasha stayed true to his word and didn't waste a single moment before taking a great dive into the now darkened depths of the river.

The taijiya and houshi stood, gazing at the rippling water. A very confused, disconcerted expression crossed Miroku's handsome features. He drew in his eyebrows staring fixedly at the water that had once been gently sparkling. Miroku had seen the river earlier, but he now noticed that it's surface had turned black as night. The slayer stood next to him as a slight wind rustled the trees, blowing her ponytail back gently in the midnight air. Over her shoulder she held onto the Hiraikotsu and kept her guard up. Sango turned her head upward to catch the monk's eyes and noticed Miroku looking somewhat troubled. He was scratching his chin with his forefinger and thumb in a curious manner. He clutched his staff tightly as the houshi gazed sternly into the black waters.

"Houshi-sama? What is it?" the slayer questioned worriedly, placing a hand on Miroku's arm.

"Sango, do you not find it strange that neither, you, nor I or Kagome-sama sensed anything evil or precursive in this area? We know Inuyasha possibly have couldn't what with it being the new moon and all, but why couldn't we? Perhaps there was nothing to sense? However I feel something unsteady in the air; yet I can feel no youki." the monk spoke with a worried tone in his voice.

"Hmmm yes you're right, Houshi-sama. I never sensed any youki in this area at all either, and even standing right here I still sense nothing," the slayer acknowledged.

"Indeed, even standing this close to the waters, I sense nothing ominous about the place. However, I cannot help but wonder...," Miroku's voice trailed off as he stepped across the rocky ground towards the water. He lifted his gold encrusted staff and held out it's rounded, ringed end outward.

"Houshi-sama...what is it?" Sango asked, watching the monk intently.

Miroku made three tapping motions with his staff, causing a deep purplish-blue see through image to appear and then slowly fade away. "Aha! Just as I suspected! There's been a barrier of some sort put up around this river. The question as to whom is doing it and why it is there, is what baffles me. It seems as though since Inuyasha and Kagome-sama have managed to go through the barrier unharmed, that we as well should be able to walk through it," the monk pointed out. Miroku held out his hand towards the slayer with a small smile. "Come, Sango."

"I can walk through just fine on my own, thanks," replied the taijiya sarcastically, knowing that Miroku's intentions most likely were going to be something incontinent and lecherous.

The monk stepped through the barrier first, gazing upward, down and around as he walked through, as though studying the auras eminating from the barrier and the river itself. "Hmmm, it seems to be just an ordinary barrier, but something about it feels different."

"Yes, I couldn't agree more. Maybe we should just wait here on the riverbank until Inuyasha gets back with Kagome-chan?" suggested the youkai exterminator.

"Hmmm, well I suppose there is nothing we can do but wait. If we decide to go underwater, Inuyasha will be furious with us. I know he wants to continue to protect Kagome-sama and rescue her on his own. So let's allow him this opportunity to do so. We'll wait patiently here until needed," Miroku stated calmly as he continued to gaze at the black river with a very contemplative expression. _Inuyasha you had better rescue Kagome-sama...I don't think our group can handle another loss...especially not Kagome._

oo00oo

_Damn! This water is fucking cold! Where in the hell is Kagome!? _Inuyasha was swimming through the blackness of the water, but it seemed as though everywhere the hanyou looked, all his eyes met was darkness. He saw no sign of Kagome, nor of the creature that had captured her. There weren't even any fish in the water which Inuyasha found rather strange. What could cause all the fish that would ordinarily live in a river just disappear as such? The hanyou turned human kicked his feet and accelerated to the surface as he felt his expanded chest about to release the air held in his lungs. Inuyasha ascended to the surface and his head plunged through the icey waters as he caught his breath. He looked around the surrounding area, gritting his teeth from the cold, in case maybe the creature had decided to come up on the surface. The hanyou's grey-blue eyes darted back and forth around the water, but there was no sign of them at all. Inuyasha inclined his head and caught sight of Sango and Miroku standing at the water's edge.

"Inuyasha!" called out the monk as he saw the raven head break the surface of the waters that were now becoming rough. It seemed as if the waterfall was decending down a lot harder than what it had been earlier in the day. The hanyou turned human cocked his head in the direction of the houshi's voice. "There's some sort of barrier surrounding the water! That's why weren't able to sense anything! Now that Sango and I are in the barrier, we both feel something foreboding and portentous! It's highly possible that the creature that captured Kagome-sama is a youkai! The barrier is preventing us from knowing for sure or not what it is!"

"Inuyasha, did you not see any sign of Kagome-chan in the water at all!? the slayer cried out desperately to the hanyou.

"No! I can't find her! But that doesn't mean I'm givin' up either!" Inuyasha told the two determinedly. The hanyou was about to dive back in the water when he was stopped once more by Sango's voice.

"Wait! Inuyasha! What about the waterfall!" Sango exclaimed, pointing down at the cascading, crashing waters. "You said you couldn't find Kagome-chan under the water! What if she's behind that waterfall?!"

"Huh?" Inuyasha's dark head whirled around to face the menacing, inauspicious waters falling around the rocky riverfront. "She _could_ be just behind that waterfall! I'M COMING KAGOME!"

"INUYASHA, LOOK OUT!" cried Miroku and Sango in unison.

The hanyou turned human gasped and drew back as the waters just ahead of him began to slosh and stir with great force. What looked like a whirlpool began to form in the center of the river. Before Inuyasha had a chance to swim away so he couldn't get sucked in, something massive burst through the surface of the swirling water. It thrashed about wildly as it broke through the surface. It had the face and hood like that of a cobra, the body of snake, however attatched along it's sides were many tentacles. It was a deep green in color, coated with scales and spines. A set of glowing, menacing, red eyes opened along with a strong set of jaws lined with many sharp fangs. It lifted a few of it's tentacles out of the water, allowing them to hover just barely above them. In one of his spine and scale-covered tentacles was Kagome. One tentacle was wrapped firmly around the unconcious miko's hair, and the monster released from his mouth what sounded like a daunting, harsh laugh.

"Sango, let's go!" the houshi called out to the taijiya. "Be careful, Inuyasha! It's tentacles are covered with some sort of stinger! You could be poisoned!" Miroku warned the hanyou as he moved to battle stance, clutching the staff in one hand and holding sacred sutras in the other.

"KA-KAGOME!" exclaimed Inuyasha almost incredulously as he held Tetsusaiga out of the water and brandished it threateningly towards the snake-like youkai. Seeing how the demon was just holding the vulnerable woman by her hair sent waves of rage coursing through Inuyasha's blood. "YOU LET HER GO YOU VILE BASTARD!"

"Heheheheheh...what'ssss a pathetic human like you going to do about it?" taunted the cobra-like creatre.

"THIS HUMAN CAN DO A HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN WHAT YOU THINK YOU JACKASS! NOW LET KAGOME GO OR I WON'T HAVE TO KILL YOU!" Inuyasha retorted, but he only earned another jaunting snicker from the monster.

"Mmmm, Kagome huh? Ssssso my dinner'sssss name issss Kagome, issss it?" the youkai replied back, in harsh, hissing tones. "Well, Kagome. Ssssoon you'll be introduced to your new hommmme. Insssside my sssstomach."

"Dinner!? You intend to _eat _Kagome!?" the hanyou turned human snapped, still not moving. His grey-blue orbs darted back and forth from where the youkai was holding Kagome up by her hair and back to his eyes.

"Of coursssse. My body cravesssss the fresh blood of a human woman," the beast hissed back. The snake-like youkai lifted Kagome up closer to his face, turning his glowing crimson eyes on the young woman and staring her up and down. "Mmmm and she'ssss young and beautiful as well. The younger and more beautiful, the sssstronger I shall become," the monster hissed menacingly. "Oh? What isss thisss? Ssssomething flowing through her veinssss no doubt. She sssseems to possesssss the power of a miko, does she not? Mmmm I'm ssssignificantly lucky today. I shall drink her blood first and then devour what'sssssss left. However, I will wait until she awakenssss. I love to watch my prey die while awake"

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" roared Inuyasha feeling the fury rushing through him, but before he could make an advance towards the youkai, Sango and Miroku's angry cries pierced the air.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" yelled the slayer as she threw her boomerang-like weapon towards the snake demon. The bone-made weapon slashed through it's spiny tentacles on the opposite side of it's body, slicing them clean off. They fell into the water, one by one with a sickening splash. The beast flailed it's body, screaming horrendously as it's blood spattered and split from it's side and severed limbs. The wailing creature dove back into the water, taking Kagome with him.

"NOW'S YOUR CHANCE INUYASHA! THE YOUKAI IS VULNERABLE!" the houshi shouted out to raven-haired man.

Inuyasha barely even registered Miroku's words as the hanyou turned human dove back into the black waters, not even acknowledging anymore how cold the river was. All he cared about was rescuing Kagome from the snake youkai's grasp. The moment Inuyasha was under the water, he saw the beast flailing back and forth, writhing in pain from his lost limbs. _Too bad for you, you disgusting bastard...looks like you're gonna have to lose another limb! _The young man began advancing towards the demon as fast as his human legs would allow him. As Inuyasha approached, he felt the waters getting rougher and rougher around him. They were nearly underneath the waterfall. He needed to hurry otherwise neither he nor Kagome was going to make it out of this alive.

The raven-haired man raised his weapon and swam up to Kagome. The tentacle that held the young woman wasn't flailing as badly as the others. Inuyasha assumed it was from the weight Kagome held on it. The hanyou took the opportunity, while the beast's mind was occupied to his lost limbs and massive amounts of blood loss, to release her. Inuyasha grabbed ahold of Kagome's body with his free arm and brought the fang blade down as roughly as the pressure from the water would allow him to, slicing clean through the slimy limb. The tentacle that had clutched Kagome's hair broke free as it was split by the hanyou's sword. The loss of yet another limb caused another howl of pain from the youkai's mouth. The snake-like demon began falling backwards, blood flowing from it's wounds, belly up as it screamed and writhed in agony.

Inuyasha stared down defiantly at the monster as it disappeared in the water's darkness, it's cries echoing from somewhere below. He wanted to make sure the youkai wouldn't be coming after them again. Once the beast was out of his sight, the hanyou turned human began swimming up to the surface. Inuyasha broke through the crashing waters just in front of the waterfall. He could feel the impact of the stinging spray as the water splashed about the rocks, but paid it no mind. Inuyasha cared about one thing and one thing only and that was to get Kagome back on the riverbank as quickly as possible.

He clutched the unconcious miko's limp body in his arms as the hanyou turned human felt the rocks near his feet from the waterfall. He stood, allowing the water to become waist deep and held Kagome's unmoving form in his arms. The hanyou gazed down at the woman, trying to determine if she were breathing or not, but with the spraying water hitting the two and the impact the fall was making on the surface of the river, made it difficult. Inuyasha placed Tetsusaiga back into it's sheath and used his free arm to swim across the river's surface and back towards where his friends stood safely on land. The hanyou and miko were about five feet away from riverbank when the massive snake's body burst through the surface once more, it's continuous shrieks still piercing the air around them and throwing blood everywhere. Inuyasha held Kagome's head protectively to his chest as the water sprayed into his eyes, causing him to squeeze them tightly shut. He waited for it. If he was going to die, atleast he could die protecting the young miko.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" came Sango's voice, echoing through his ears.

Inuyasha heard the familiar whipping sound of the slayer's bone-made weapon, reverberating against the air, soon followed by the sound of a blow to the snake youkai's neck. The weapon wasn't quite strong enough to slice it's head completely off, but it did place a decent-sized wound into the beast's neck. With another shriek of agony, the youkai threw it's head back and fell back into the water, and with any luck, falling dormant once more. Inuyasha quickly waded through the water, still clutching Kagome's body next to his and dreading what he might discover once they made it back on dry turf.

Sango and Miroku hurried out to the waters as Inuyasha advanced towards them. He glanced around to where he'd taken off his haori and walked straight over to it. The hanyou gently laid Kagome's drenched body on top of it and brushed back some of the raven strands of hair that stuck to the sides of her face. He stayed kneeled down at her side, while the monk stood tall next to Inuyasha and Sango crouched down at the miko's other side.

"Is there a pulse? Check for a pulse!" Inuyasha urged as he grasped Kagome's hand.

Sango placed her index and middle finger expertly against the miko's neck, feeling around for any sign of a twitch under her fingertips. _Bump...bump..._ The demon slayer's eyes widened. "There it is! I found it! She does still have a pulse! It's very faint, but it's there!"

"Kagome. It's me. C'mon Kagome, please wake up," Inuyasha spoke softly as he held the miko's head up. Her head just fell backwards limply. "Open your eyes! Say something, Kagome!" The hanyou turned human lowered his ear down next to Kagome's face, his pools of deep grey-blue widening with disbelief and fear. "She's...Sango, she's not breathing!"

"Lay her down, Inuyasha and move," the slayer commanded.

Inuyasha nodded his ebony head, obliging and moving away from Kagome's body, not sure what Sango was planning to attempt. Normally if somebody had given him an order such as that, the hanyou would retort with something sarcastic, but in this case, there was no use arguing. Sango probably knew how to take care of Kagome's condition at this point better than what he did. The taijiya straddled Kagome's stomach and pressed her hands firmly in the unconcious miko's diaphragm. She pressed down three times and waited to see if anything happened. Nothing happened at all and so the slayer repeated the action, pressing down on Kagome's chest. Still, nothing happened. Inuyasha found himself falling backward from her, his hands resting behind him. The hanyou closed his eyes, turning his head towards the sky.

_What have I done!? I should have known something like was going to happen to her. Why did I have to be so fucking stupid by just walking off and leaving her there? Because of my own personal fears, I still ended up putting Kagome in danger and now...now I may have very well lost her too...Damn, I really messed up. Kagome, I am so sorry...please don't die on me. Please forgive me for failing to protect you...to save you..._

The hanyou was broken from his thoughts as the slayer was now leaning over Kagome's body. Sango held the miko's nose with her thumb and forefinger, giving the girl mouth to mouth. Sango breathed into the girl's mouth, causing her chest to rise and fall, but Kagome never took a breath. Sango pushed down on the younger woman's chest again and repeated the technique three times. Kagome still wasn't breathing on her own and Inuyasha was about to give up hope. The slayer looked up at the hanyou grimly, her dark brown eyes brimming with tears. Sango shook her head sadly.

"I...I don't know what else I can do. I can't get her...to breathe anymore, Inuyasha," the taijiya admitted softly. "Kagome-chan..."

Inuyasha lept over to the slayer's side and grabbed her by the arms. "WHAT!?" What do you mean you can't get her to breathe anymore!?"

"I-I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I tried everything that I know how to do. Kagome won't breathe...she's...," the slayer's words were cut off by the comforting hands of Miroku on her shoulders.

"It is not your fault, Sango. You did everything you could," came the houshi's comforting voice.

Sango placed her knuckles up to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut as tears seeped down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Kagome-chan!" she whispered before allowing her body to slump into Miroku's comforting embrace.

_No! I won't believe it! Kagome is NOT dead! She's not going to die! _"No way in hell would Kagome just allow something like this to finish her off! She's a hell of a lot stronger than that!NNNH! MOVE!" Inuyasha exploded, pushing the taijiya and houshi out of his way. "All you did was press down underneath her ribcage, right Sango?" Inuyasha asked, but didn't give the sobbing slayer a moment to answer. The half youkai began pumping on the girl's chest with his hands. "No chance, Kagome. You...are not...going...to...die..and...leave..me...here...ALONE!"

The hanyou turned human pressed the bottom of his palm into Kagome's chest with such force that if he had been in his half-demon form, he probably would have injured the young woman. Kagome's head drew back, her dark eyes flew open and she began choking. Inuyasha hurriedly rolled the miko onto her side as she coughed and sputtered, releasing the water that had been trapped in her lungs. Inuyasha gasped and lowered his face close to Kagome's. "Ka-Kagome?"

"Kagome-chan! Kagome-sama! You're alright!" came the excited voices of Sango and Miroku.

The young miko lay on the ground shivering horribly and taking heavy, gasping breaths as her clouded thoughts began to somewhat piece themselves together. Kagome couldn't remember what had happened to her or where she was for that matter. The miko squeezed her eyes shut and then reopened them, blinking a few times to try and un-cloud her vision and see where she was. Inuyasha knelt down and lifted Kagome up in his arms, taking care to wrap the fire rat haori around her trembling figure.

"I-Inu..yasha?" the miko struggled to say as she gazed up into his grey-blue eyes that were clouded with worry.

"Kagome...are you alright?" the hanyou turned human asked her softly.

"Wha-what happened...to me?" she asked him, feeling the cold piercing her flesh and she nearly convulsed from being so cold. Kagome could feel his strong arms holding her even closer, trying to make her warm, but it didn't help that the hanyou turned human just as soaked from the river as she was.

"Let's get you back to camp and in front of the fire first," Inuyasha told the shivering miko softly.

"Mmmhmm," the miko agreed, nuzzling her face into Inuyasha's chest and closing her eyes.

The miko was feeling absolutely exhausted. Despite the fact that Kagome was freezing to death and enervated, she couldn't help but feel comforted and calm in the hanyou's protective arms. Once the group reached camp, the foursome were overcome with excited shrieks and cries from Shippou. Inuyasha walked past the bouncing kitsune and seated himself on the ground in front of the crackling, warm fire, still cradeling Kagome in his arms.

"Inuyasha! What happened!? Where'd you go!? Did you get hurt!? What's wrong with Kagome!? Did _she_ get hurt!? Why are you two all wet!?" the kitsune questioned in earnest. Shippou bounced up and down next to Inuyasha and Kagome, hardly able to sit still and visibly grateful that Kagome was alright. The hanyou was becoming quickly irritated and he grasped the kit around his tail and held him upside down, grinning in a somewhat annoyed way.

"Shippou, could you cool it with the questions already?" Inuyasha asked with his teeth clenched, still wearing that strange grin.

"Hey! I was just curious on what all was happening with you two! There's no need to be rude!" the little fox youkai shot back and was quickly silenced by the hanyou slamming the little kit rather forcefully on the ground.

"Consider yourself lucky my claws and fangs are gone," he snapped before turning back to Kagome, leaving the little kit to whine and cry outloud, stalking off back over to where Kirara lay, pouting and complaining rather loudly.

"So, what exactly _did_ happen, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked curiously. "I mean, I can remember being dragged under the water, but all I could see was some kind of strange tentacle holding onto my leg. I tried to look and see what had ahold of me, but it was so black underneath the water, I couldn't see it."

"Yeah, I'm not really sure what that was. I found it kinda strange I didn't smell it earlier this afternoon when I still had my powers," the hanyou turned human thought to himself. "I'd never really seen anything like it before."

"Yes, Sango and myself found it rather strange that we never once sensed a demonic aura eminating from the river. However, I did discover that some kind of barrier was put up around the place. I never would have noticed it if I hadn't tested it to be for certain," the houshi explained as he and the taijiya seated themselves in front of the crackling fire across from Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Yeah, come to think of it, I didn't sense any either and I normally do right away," Kagome added. "How strange that a barrier could block the demonic aura."

The demon slayer nodded her head in agreement. "Once we went through the barrier, we were both overwhelmed by a strong sense of youki. We knew something menacing had to be in the water and when the youkai emerged from the water with Kagome-chan, we soon figured out that it had something to do with that beast," Sango continued. "But how the barrier got there, Miroku and I aren't for certain."

"Yes, well, the youkai didn't seem to be as strong as some of the others we've fought. Maybe there is a possiblity that something or someone else was putting up the barrier?" Miroku said thoughtfully, scratching his chin.

"Houshi-sama, maybe we should go and check things out? Maybe we can atleast discover the source of the barrier. I didn't feel it fall when I hit that youkai with my Hiraikotsu," Sango pointed out somewhat sternly.

Miroku noticed the slayer nudging him slightly as the two were watching Inuyasha and Kagome out of the corners of their eyes. The hanyou had his head turned downward towards, conversing softly with her while the miko, who was still cuddled up to him, spoke quietly back. They were speaking in such low tones that was it was crucial for the monk and slayer to auscultate what the two were discussing. Inuyasha still had his arms wrapped protectively around her as well, so it could have been anything. Realizing that Sango meant maybe they should leave for a bit so the two could have some time alone, the houshi nodded.

"Ummm, yes indeed! Let's go investigate the area and see what we can find!" the monk agreed as he jumped a little too quickly to his feet.

Not only did he want to leave Kagome and Inuyasha alone, but some alone time with Sango might not be too bad for himself. The monk and demon slayer left rather abruptly, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha by themselves as they disappeared once more into the darkness. Shippou had crawled over to where Kirara now lay in neko form and had fallen asleep on her belly. There were absolutely no distractions now for the hanyou and the miko.

"They seemed to be awfully quick to go," Inuyasha pointed out as he and Kagome inclined their heads in the direction Sango and Miroku had went.

"Yeah they did. I suppose they really want to find out what caused the barrier to be put up. I wonder if maybe they think it's something else that's holding the barrier up since when Sango killed the youkai, the barrier didn't fall?" Kagome suggested.

"Hmmm, or maybe the youkai didn't die and that's why the barrier's still up," Inuyasha replied deliberately. "I mean, when Sango's Hiraikotsu hit the thing, it didn't cut it's head off or anything. It just left a really deep gash in it's neck, though it could have bled to death by now considering how many tentacles it had whacked off." _Damn, if I just had my youkai power, atleast I'd be able to use the Red Tetsusaiga and break the barrier down myself!_

"Hmmm, I don't know. Sango and Miroku are pretty intelligent when it comes to that. I'm sure the two can figure it out," the miko nodded her head. _We're alone right now...and the way Inuyasha is holding me...could he finally be ready to open up to me? I mean he came for me, didn't he? Maybe now is the time I can try and talk to him...Yes, I think I'll try. _"Ummm, Inuyasha?"

"Hmmm?" came the deep rumble from the hanyou turned human's throat.

"Can we...well, I mean, since we're alone. Can we...talk?" Kagome began apprehensively.

The moment she asked the question, the miko felt Inuyasha's muscles stiffen next to her body and his arms loosened the grip on her just a bit. "What do you wanna talk about?" the hanyou asked, just as nervously.

"Well, I thought...I thought maybe we could talk about...ummm, well about Kikyou?" Kagome finally spit out. They were alone now. Nobody was there to disturb them. "And...well, some other things...if that's okay..."

"Keh, I suppose there's no harm in it," Inuyasha replied, but he inclined his head, turning his face away from Kagome so she couldn't see his expressions.

"Well...I was just thinking how it must be so hard for you, Inuyasha. Seeing me every single day and knowing that I'm Kikyou's reincarnation. I've noticed you can't really look me in the eyes," Kagome stated softly as she sat up in the now rigid lap of the hanyou. The miko was about to say something more when she felt the words die in her throat from the tenseness emerging from the hanyou. She clutched his now dry fire rat haori around her body to still stay warm and scampered off of his lap, feeling as if she'd upset him and made a very big mistake. Kagome leaned herself up against a tree and sighed. _Maybe I've said too much..._

The hanyou stood up and walked over to a different tree, placing his hand against it with his raven head bowed. "Let's...let's not talk about this right now. Kagome you...I...it's not...," Inuyasha stammered, trying to find the words. "This isn't...the time."

The young man took a stumbling breath and Kagome stared at his back. She couldn't tell if he was just trying to keep them from discussing anything or if he were crying. Inuyasha struggled against the human emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He closed his burning eyes, not wanting to think about Kikyou's death or the fact that Kagome was hurting as badly as she had been and it was all his fault. _Kami I hate these human emotions...why do I have to succumb to a weakness such as this? Why doe it have to be so hard talking about Kikyou? I'm always carrying on about how I don't have as weak of a dispositon as humans do and here I am, struggling to maintain my composure. If I keep hurting Kagome like this, she could end up severely injured or worse...she could end up dead just like Kikyou...and my mother. Dammit!_

Inuyasha took a deep breath, composing himself and turned back towards Kagome. She was curled up against the tree now, falling asleep underneath his warm, fire rat haori. He sighed softly as he watched the flickering firelight dance on Kagome's beautiful features. Atleast she was safe from the snake youkai and atleast she hadn't become his dinner. That much the hanyou could do. Inuyasha walked silently over to the now sleeping Kagome and sat down next to her once more. He couldn't constrain the feeling of holding her again and so Inuyasha pulled the miko gently back into his arms without awakening her. He stared at the girl's beautiful features, studying each and every detail of her hair and face. She was lovely indeed, and bore a slight resemblence to Kikyou, but this little miko was beautiful all in her own way. She was Kagome, nobody else.

_I don't understand what you meant Kagome...you might be Kikyou's reincarnation but you're not Kikyou and I don't see Kikyou through you either if that's what you're thinking...Keh, it must be, but that's not the case. You're just Kagome to me and nobody else. Kami, how I wish I had the strength to just open my mouth and say these words to you...Why can't I find the way to tell you what you do mean to me, Kagome? I feel like in every direction I go, I'm literally screwed. If I open my heart to you, protect you openly, and show my affection for you, Naraku will find out and use you to get to me...I can't let that happen because of the danger you'll be in, but at the same time if I keep turning my back to you the way that I have been, I could lose you just the same. Kagome this is so hard...even though you know your own life is in danger, you still continue to stay by my side..How much longer will you stay by me, Kagome?_

"Inu...yasha...I'm so sorry," the miko mumbled in her sleep. Her soft words snapped the hanyou from his thoughts and he gazed down at the woman in his arms.

"That I couldn't save...Kikyou," Kagome sighed and snuggled up further into his chest and wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's torso, not realizing what she was saying or doing. "You must...you must hate me..."

Inuyasha felt his heart lurch painfully and he held Kagome closer. If he had not been human tonight, the hanyou wasn't sure how he would have handled Kagome saying something like this, but the words tore into his heart. _Kagome! How on earth could you think I would hate you! Kikyou was past saving, even if you did purify her, you saved her soul. Dammit Kagome, it's not your fault!_

"Inuyasha, I'll...always be by your side," the miko mumbled incoherently, lost in a sea of dreams.

"Kagome...," was all the hanyou could choke out.

Inuyasha leaned himself against the tree and held Kagome's body closer to his, burying his face in her hair. He took in the young miko's beautiful scent and struggled to keep his emotions at bay. Inuyasha loathed this feeling and loathed being as vulnerable was he was at this very moment. Shortly after, Sango and Miroku returned, telling Inuyasha that they weren't quite certain how to extinguish the barrier, but the hanyou only half-listened. Noticing that something must have happened between him and Kagome, the houshi and taijiya fell silent, but Inuyasha didn't take notice. He was too busy trying to keep his emotions and feelings under control. Miroku and Sango turned to speak to one another softly so as not to disturb the raven-haired young man. Soon, the hanyou found sleep in the comfort of Kagome's embrace. The monk and the slayer followed suit shortly after.

The night was a quiet one. Each star seemed to twinkle more brightly than usual in the midnight blue blanket above them. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves gently in the treetops. Inuyasha-tachi were all sound asleep lost in their own subconcious mind of dreams. Not one person heard the slithering sound advancing towards them.

"You pathetic excusssse for a human! With the lassst of my sssstrength, I will exact my revenge for you taking my meal and my life!" came this hissing menacing voice.

Inuyasha stumbled awake, rubbing his eyes and forcing himself to wake up. "Wha...what in the...AAAAAAAAARGH!" the hanyou yelled in agony as he felt something sharp pierce his side.

Kagome lept awake in his arms as did the houshi and the slayer. The miko screamed as she saw a long, green, spine-covered tentacle impaled into Inuyasha's side. His blood spattered the ground and the hanyou turned human threw his head back, crying out in pain. There was a massive trail of blood where the beast had slithered from. Using her instincts the miko grabbed her bow and arrows.

"Aaaahhh girl! If I can atleast ssssink my fangssss into your flesh, I might be sssspared! I WANT YOUR POWER!" the snake-like youkai raged, lifting his body as though ready to strike any moment. His long, pitchfork tongue slithered out of his mouth and shot back in quickly.

"NO WAY!" cried out Kagome as she stood back and drew an arrow. She placed it on the bow and pulled back the string. "You're done for buddy! How dare you harm Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha you ssssay? The filthy hanyou? He is nothing but a mere mortal. He's lost his youkai powers and will soon lose you as well," provoked the dauntless monster. Kagome could tell, however that the youkai was weakening more and more by the moment and that he would be simple to finish off.

"You've spoke your last words!" exclaimed the little miko as she summoned up the rest of her strength and released the arrow.

"Ka-go-me...," Inuyasha murmered the girl's name as he clutched his bleeding side and forced himself to sit up. He propped his body up on one arm as he watched the scene unfold.

"A little arrow isssn't going to do me in you pathe- AAAAAAAAGH!" the beast couldn't finish what he wanted to say as Kagome's spirit arrow pierced the monster's flesh, sending him flying backward. The young miko's arrow obliterated the beast to nothing but bits of smouldering chunks of flesh. Kagome dropped her bow and turned her head towards where the hanyou sat, grasping his side which was bleeding profusely.

"Those...stingers are a lot...sharper than they look," the raven-haired man managed to say before his gray-blue orbs rolled back into his head and he fell unconcious on the ground. Kagome ran to his side and lifted his head into her lap.

"Inuyasha, don't pass out on me! Stay with me! Can you hear me? INUYASHSAAAAA!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Our Memories

It didn't matter how weak and drawn she felt from her encounter. The blood was pooling at the hanyou's side onto the ground, which made Kagome even more distressed. Inuyasha was always so vulnerable in his human form and truth be told, it scared the miko at times. Not because of the fact that Inuyasha couldn't protect her, but the reasoning behind why it worried her was because Kagome feared that something terrible would happen to him; that he'd end up so severely injured that it could possibly kill him. Shaken, and trying her best to remove the horrible thoughts from her mind, Kagome placed her hands on both of Inuyasha's sides.

"Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, can you please get me some bandages and something to clean his wounds?!" the young priestess called out frantically as she carefully rolled the hanyou onto his back.

She removed his kimono and laid it off to the side in a crumpled pile next to his haori, which had fallen off of her body in her moment of panic. Feeling cold and tired wasn't important anymore as the haori lay forgotten along with his undershirt kimono leaving Inuyasha bare chested. Kagome stopped for a brief moment while the taijiya and houshi had left to retrieve her necessities and stared at his lightly tanned, naked flesh. Strands of the hanyou turned human's ebony hair fell down his defined shoulders. There was a bit of dampness lingering on him, making his creamy skin glisten and seem inviting, depsite the wound that had been inflicted in Inuyasha's side.

The miko's hands longed to reach out and trace her fingertips gently down his smooth body, from his pectorals down to the small bumps that were his stomach. Her eyes fell over each individual abdominal muscle moving with every breath he took. How she longed to trail her fingers down each seperate set of his abdominals. Inuyasha's structuring and anatomy of his naked torso was almost tempting the miko to just reach out her palms and tenderly rub them up and down his middle. She'd seen him bare-chested like this many times before and never found her mind wandering in this direction. It was so tantalizing, so intoxicating and so captivating that the young woman found her hands slowly making their way towards his naked, shimmering skin. Kagome mentally slapped herself and drew her hands back as quickly as they had moved forward. _No, not now! Bad Kagome! You can't be thinking of things like this right now! Inuyasha needs you to take care of him, not turn all hentai on him!_

The miko scolded herself silently for harboring such thoughts. She brushed off her intimate musings and placed her hand over the bleeding wound. Any moment Sango and Miroku would return with the first aid kit, and the last thing Kagome wanted was for them to see her like this. The young priestess didn't want to get herself caught admiring Inuyasha's bare body. She knew if that were to happen, Kagome would never hear the end of it from the lecherous houshi. Turning her gaze back at the injury, the miko breathed a soft sigh of relief to see that the flow of blood had decreased immensely. Cringing she saw three of those stinger-like pieces that had been attatched to serpent youkai's tentacles, lodged into the hanyou turned human's open flesh.

It didn't take long before the monk and demon slayer approached Kagome with the giant first aid kit and sat it down at her side. Sango had seated herself near the young priestess, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin in her cupped hand. Miroku sat next to the demon exterminator, the two gazing with slight worry at the unconcious Inuyasha. They knew, just as well as Kagome did, how dangerous it was for Inuyasha to be attacked while in human form. They worried for his safety almost as much as the little miko did.

Kagome quickly set to work, pulling out bandages, a pair of tweezers, some gauze, medical tape and the same medicinal ointment she had used on Shippou's wounded leg. Kagome clenched her teeth, hissing through them softly as she placed the tweezers on the tip of one of the stingers and withdrew it from the raven-haired man's side. She removed the other two with ease, laying them off to the side. As the miko worked on begining to cleanse Inuyasha's wound, Miroku crouched next to her, staring downward intently. He lowered his hand and lifted one of the greenish-gray spines in between his index finger and thumb, studying it closely with contemplative expressions.

"Houshi-sama," Sango began softly, scooting over towards Miroku, curious on what he was doing. "What is it?"

"Hmmm, I've heard of this before. If I'm not mistaken these spines carry a sort of toxin that once inserted into your flesh, it puts it's victim to sleep. However, I might be wrong," the monk replied thoughtfully, though more to himself than to Sango. He lifted his ebony head in the miko's direction where she was still busying herself with bandaging up Inuyasha's wounds. "Kagome-sama, does Inuyasha's skin feel cold to you at all? If it doesn't, that is one way we'll know for sure that these contain no poison."

"Hmmm," the miko hummed as she ran her hand across the sleeping, raven-haired man's face. She didn't feel any difference in the temperature of his flesh and shook her dark head back and forth. "Nope, there's no difference at all. He's neither running a fever nor is he unusually cold."

"Yes, I surmised as much. This is why Inuyasha is currently unconcious," Miroku nodded his head observently. "These stingers are exactly what I thought, so I know for sure there is no poison in them. I declare that Inuyasha will awaken and be cognizant once more."

True to his word, there was a gentle groan as the hanyou turned human's head stirred gently in Kagome's lap. Those familiar, blue-gray orbs of his slowly fluttered open. Inuyasha blinked a few times to gather his bearings and gazed up into Kagome's warm and inviting gaze. His head was resting easily in her lap and the miko had taken to running her fingertips across his cheekbone tenderly. She smiled as his eyes locked with hers and brushed back a few locks of his hair, tucking them gently behind his ear.

"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?" the miko asked in a concerned voice.

"Ka...Ka-go-me?" came his voice as he struggled to wake up. "Nnnh, I feel...kinda tired and a little...ah...sore," Inuyasha replied, as he moved to sit up. He placed a hand over his bandaged side, wincing slightly from the pain. "What in the hell happened to me?"

"Don't you remember, Inuyasha?" Sango asked curiously, leaning a bit towards him. "It seems as though we failed to kill the serpent youkai that attacked Kagome-chan," the demon exterminator pointed out.

"Oh damn...that's right. It attacked us again while we were asleep. That must be why my side feels so fucking sore," the raven-haired man acknowledged. "That bastard stuck his tentacle in me. I remember now. Those spines...they weren't, poisonous were they?" he questioned in dreaded tones. Inuyasha looked at Kagome apprehensively but the miko just smiled a comforting, reassuring smile...that 'Kagome' smile. The smile that always seemed to alleviate every small ounce of uneasiness the hanyou might be experiencing.

"No, they weren't. I treated your wounds. Miroku-sama discovered something about those spines that were attatched to it's tentacles, though. He found out that they merely just put you to sleep, nothing more. You're going to be just fine," the raven-haired miko assured Inuyasha, placing a hand on his bare arm and trying not to let those earlier thoughts creep back into her mind.

"That's good to hear," the young man breathed a sigh of relief as he lay back once more in Kagome's lap, staring up at the moonless night sky. He quickly sat up with a light blush appearing across his cheeks when he realized he was without a shirt on. "Would you mind h-handing over my clothes, it's k-kinda chilly," Inuyasha stammered, pointing over to his shirt.

The young man wasn't cold in the least, but a little embarrassed that he had been shirtless and was laying down in Kagome's lap like that. _If it had been any other fucking night...I wouldn't even be laying in her lap like this...would I? _ He quickly noticed the goosebumps traveling down Kagome's legs and mistook them for her being cold and not quite something else. He didn't notice the blush that had also appeared across the miko's cheeks. "Put on the fire rat so you don't catch a cold," Inuyasha told her as he pulled on his tan-hued kimono shirt.

"Oh...ummm sure thing, Inuyasha," the miko answered sounding just as timid as the hanyou turned human had.

She gathered up the soft, crimson haori and placed it around her body, snuggling up into it more, feeling it's warmth close in over her body once more. The miko closed her dark eyes, picturing the form of Inuyasha behind her, with his arms placed comfortably and snugly around her body, holding her close to his. His chin rested on her shoulder as he whispered into her ear softly. Kagome sighed, wishing that it really were that way. The young woman opened her eyes, snapping out of her silent reverie to find that the hanyou turned human was sitting rather close to her. "Inuyasha?"

"Ummm Sango and Miroku left to go and get some sleep," Inuyasha pointed over to where Sango lay curled up in a sleeping back, resting on the houshi's lap. The monk was laying against a tree, one hand placed tenderly on the taijiya's head. The two were sound asleep. _They must have been really exhausted to fall asleep so fast..._The hanyou turned human was slumped over slightly, his elbows resting on his knees, staring at the ground. The young man issued a soft sight of defeat. "I don't...really want to go to sleep tonight," Inuyasha admitted, his voice wavering with slight apprehension.

"I understand why you wouldn't. That was one really terrible youkai," the miko nodded her dark head in agreement.

"Yeah that's for sure. You certainly finished him off with that purifying arrow of yours, considering how tired you must be. I mean...there was a lot of water in your lungs and being drug around by the demon like that must have left you feeling pretty worn out and weak," Inuyasha pointed out. "I mean...what I'm saying is...," he paused rubbing his side carefully with his fingertips. Why oh why did he have to show so much compassion every single night he was human? It was bad enough he was struggling with the torment and the remorse of Kikyou's death and his feelings for Kagome too. So why did it seem that tonight he felt...maybe even more closer to Kagome than usual?

The young miko gazed up at the profile features of the handsome half-demon watching his brows furrow and tilted her head slightly. "You don't have to tell me, I know," Kagome replied softly. Trying to change the subject, the priestess's eyes wandered to his side. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Keh, it's just a little scratch is all," the raven-haired man began haughtily, but he gritted his teeth, placing his hand over the obviously painful wound.

Kagome raised one, thin eyebrow at him, causing Inuyasha to blush slightly. "That doesn't seem like just a little scratch. Besides, I treated that wound, so I know it's not a little scratch."

"Yeah, I just...I hate being human like this. I hate feeling weak and vulnerable because this isn't me. I feel so...inadequate," Inuyasha sighed in defeat, staring straight ahead into the flickering flames.

"You know...if you're hurting, you could borrow my lap?" Kagome proposed quietly. "I mean...that is, i-if you want to since you're hurt and all."

"I...ummm...," Inuyasha fumbled with his words. His heart was crying out to him, telling him yes to accept her proposal but at the same time his head was screaming not to do it, only because he feared of getting too close to the miko. _What if I do allow myself to get any closer? What will I do if something happens to her, just like it did Kikyou? Then what? But...it's only her lap and hell it's just tonight...what's the harm in it? _The young ningen man knew that if he could lay back in her lap it most likely would be more comfortable than laying on the cold, hard ground. He allowed his heart to win the ongoing battle between it and his mind. "S-sure, that'd be great."

The miko smiled as she positioned herself and Inuyasha slowly lay back, resting his head against the warmth of Kagome's flesh. He lay on his uninjured side, facing away from Kagome's lovely face. He didn't want to be driven into more temptation and another battle raged inside of his head. He was vulnerable, he'd just lost Kikyou and yet here was Kagome, offering him comfort. Inuyasha didn't want to allow himself to fall too much into it. What if Kagome thought he was just using her for comfort just to get over Kikyou? _Gah! Why in the hell am I thinking of all these things now!? _The thoughts were quickly driven from the hanyou's mind as he felt her place tiny finger tips near his ear, running them gently through his ebony hair. It made Inuyasha blanch very slightly, but he soon gave into the soothing, comforting motions of Kagome's hands in his hair. The young miko had felt him slightly recoil from her touch but also felt his relaxing against her lap. She couldn't help but smile slightly. Kagome could recall another time he had been human and she had allowed his injured self to rest in her lap exactly like this.

"Inuyasha...do you remember the first time I ever saw you turn human?" the miko questioned a little nervously, hoping that bringing up the past wouldn't upset him.

"Yeah...I'll never forget that. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized...," the hanyou broke of his words, blushing furiously. _That was the first time I had ever seen you cry for me...my life had been put into danger. I was just barely hanging on. You protected me for a change, Kagome. You shed tears for my sake...I think that was when I began to realize just how important you are to me and that I could trust you..._

oo00oo

_The hanyou was now making his way into the temple, trying to remain confident in his susceptible state. He'd be able to take care of the demons himself. Was the hanyou turned human ever wrong. Inuyasha had been attacked by the lead of the spiderheads with nothing to defend himself, considering he was only a mere human at this point. The spider youkai had buried his fangs into Inuyasha's flesh, injecting massive quanitities of poison and he had been rendered completely helpless. Inuyasha threw his head back, howling in pain as he felt the fangs enter his flesh. The poison began coursing through his veins. The hanyou was left to hang there, suspended by the white spidersilk that bound him to the poles inside of the temple. He was surprised when the young miko burst into the room, clutching Tetsusaiga in her hands, Nazuna by her side. She had clarified that the priest had been decieving the little girl when her eyes caught sight of Inuyasha hanging helplessly upside down by the spidersilk._

_"Ka-go-me, save yourself," the hanyou turned human strained to speak Kagome, who was determinedly making her way towards him. _

_"No chance!" she told him furiously as she continued to leap up the wooden poles advancing towards the trapped hanyou.. _

_"I'm serious...it's too late for me!" Inuyasha urged, trying to will Kagome to get out of any sort of danger. Tonight he just couldn't protect her and if anything had happened to her because of his weakness, Inuyasha would never be able to forgive himself. _

_"I'm not leaving here without you!" Kagome insisted as she climbed up towards him, unrelenting tears filling her eyes. "No...way!" _

_The girl took a diving leap forward with Tetsusaiga clutched in both hands, holding the weapon as if she were going to do chin-ups with it. Inuyasha blinked in awe as he stared at the miko ascending towards him. Crystalline tears were flying from the corners of her eyes, and she slammed the sword into the spidersilk, breaking the hold it had on the hanyou. The two fell to the floor of the temple. Once they landed, Inuyasha had gone completely unconcious. With the help of Shippou and Nazuna, they had managed to get him safely into a room while thrusting Tetsusaiga into the closed door to buy them time._

_ It would ward off the spiderhead youkai and Kagome would be able to tend to Inuyasha until he regained his youki once more. Later that night, Myouga had taken to drawing out the poison inside of Inuyasha and retreated to the corner, where Shippou and Nazuna had fallen asleep, full of poison and the hanyou's blood. Inuyasha's breathing had become labored as his body began fightning to live. He had dried blood at the corner of his mouth, and his face was drenched in persperation. _

_"He's covered in sweat!" Kagome had taken a handkerchief from her backpack and began dabbing tenderly at his forehead. "Oh!" she whimpered sympathetically when the hanyou opened his steely gray eyes staring upward at the beauty in front of him. She moved the cloth from his head and held it at her chest. _

_"I'm sorry! Did I wake you up?" the miko asked softly. _

_"No," Inuyasha replied in a strained voice. He turned his head away from Kagome, gazing off at nothing, wanting to ask her the question that burned in his mind, but found he could not face the miko. There was something about tonight that touched his heart more than he could explain. So, averting his gaze, he asked the lingering question. "Kagome," he began. _

_"What is it?" Kagome asked, leaning closer towards him, trying to see his face, but Inuyasha kept his dark head turned from her, his deep, blue-grey orbs staring at the wooden beams underneath them.. _

_"Tell me something...why were you crying?" he asked, still not able to find the courage to look at her. _

_"Huh? Back in the other room?" Kagome asked him incredulously, probably wondering why on earth he had asked her such a question. Inuyasha closed his eyes as he remembered what he saw when Kagome had came to his rescue for a change. Sparkling tears had flown from the corners of her eyes as she zoomed determinedly towards the hanyou, desperate to free him, to save him. It had shocked him. Nobody had ever cried for him before except for his mother. _

_"Because...I thought I was going to lose you," Kagome told him honestly. "I thought you were gonna...die," she spoke the last word with dreaded emphasis._

_"You shed tears for me...cried for me," Inuyasha stated more to himself than to anyone. He would never admit this to Kagome, but the fact that she had cried for his sake touched him more than she knew. "Kagome," he continued. "If it's not too much trouble, may I lie on your lap?" _

_Much to Inuyasha's relief, Kagome had agreed to it and she moved his head tenderly into her lap, so he could rest easily. "How do you feel? A little better than before?" the miko asked softly, gazing downward at his weakened state. His dark, blue-gray eyes remained closed. _

_"Yes," he replied softly, turning his head slightly towards her stomach. "Kagome...you smell kind of nice."_

_"Okay that's it. You made it a point before to tell me that you couldn't stand my scent!" Kagome pointed out. Inuyasha could tell she was shocked by his words. _

_  
"I did," the hanyou began as he turned his head even closer to her. "But I was lying..."_

oo00oo

"Inuyasha?" questioned Kagome softly, as the hanyou turned human had drifted off into his memories. He snapped back out of his nostalgia as the miko's tender voice reached his ears. He felt his heart swell with warmth at the reminiscence and at Kagome's gentle tones. Inuyasha sighed softly against her leg.

"Hmmm? Oh, I'm sorry Kagome...I was just...thinking I guess," the raven-haired man admitted. He was glad he was turned away from Kagome's face, otherwise she'd be able to tell he was blushing slightly.

"What were you thinking about?" the miko questioned curiously. "I mean...if you want to tell me."

"Oh...i-it's nothing," Inuyasha lied.

_Why is it when I'm human like this...I always find myself remembering all of those times? Why do I have to feel this way? This is why I HATE being mortal! I can't get rid of these damned emotions. These memories won't stop! Could feeling this way be sacrilige to Kikyou? Kikyou... _Every since Kikyou had passed on, Inuyasha seemed as though he were standing on a very unsturdy precipice. If he were to even try and make a single move, it would crumble and fall beneath him, taking him down along with it. However, whenever the little miko had been near him, to offer him the comfort it made things just a little more endurable for him.

Despite the fact that he usually denied her comfort, the hanyou always found that somehow and some way, Kagome seemed to make him back away from it, bringing him even closer to her. How he wished things didn't have to be this way. How he wished that he could allow himself to get even more closer to Kagome, but the mere thought of it sent tremmors of dread coursing through Inuyasha's body. What if Naraku did the exact same thing to Kagome as he had done to Kikyou? The hanyou turned human was snapped from his thoughts as the young priestess's warm voice sounded in his ears.

"Are you sure? You know if there's something on your mind you can share it with me. You have before. Are you...are you okay?" Kagome asked softly, trying to get him to open up and talk to her. _What could he possibly be thinking about? Could it be Kikyou maybe? Maybe that's why he won't talk to me... _"Inuyasha?" the miko retierated.

"I'm...so sorry, Kagome," Inuyasha told her, closing his deep, dark orbs. He breathed in the young woman's scent and sighed again.

"It's okay, Inuyasha. I understand," the miko told him softly, still caressing his locks of hair gently. "You can talk to me when you're ready." The pair grew silent, though neither knew that they were both delving into the same memory of the night in Tougenkyo, yet another night where Inuyasha had been mortal and in terrible danger of either being crushed to death or devoured alive.

oo00oo

_"Nnnh...ugh..." _

_The now raven-haired, young man struggled to awaken himself as the pain tore through his body. He groaned softly and his dark-hued irises slowly fluttered open. Inuyasha blinked a few times to clear his blurred vision and gasped as he stared down at himself. What in the hell had happened? Why was he in so much pain and more than that...where was he!? Inuyasha had found that he'd been suspended in the air, held fast by some kind of thorny vines. They were piercing their sharp pointed ends into his soft flesh. The massive briar was wound firmly around his arms pulling them upward. They also wrapped around his torso rather tightly and around his legs. The more he moved, the deeper the thorns dug into his skin, slicing it like a scapel._

_'What's this?' he thought to himself as his eyes traveled down to his legs. He'd been rendered helpless once more, in his cursed human form and knew he wouldn't have the strength to break free from these sharp appendages._

_"Ah, you've awakened, I see," came a somewhat harsh voice that sent irritation running down Inuyasha's spine. The voice was extremely familiar. _

_The man that had spoken turned around to face the hanyou turned ningen. He wore a tan, fur vest over a blue-striped shirt that had obviously been torn open by the man's gigantic belly. On top of his head he had a mop of unkempt hair that could have been mistaken for blades of grass. He was the sage that had shruken and swallowed Inuyasha whole into a jar filled with some kind of liquid that could have been as strong as acid. Inuyasha had been trapped in the disgusting man's jar. He was administered completely defenseless as he changed into a human, while trying to claw his way out. _

_The sheath at his side had began to rattle something terrible. Inuyasha realized that the sheath was calling Tetsusaiga and he held the black wood outward, beckoning his sword to come. The sword had thrust itself into the sage's the jar, putting a rather large hole into it and cracking it completely open freeing the hanyou from instant death. Inuyasha had fallen, landing hard on the ground and changed back into his normal size once he had been released from the jar and free from the spell that had shruken him. The last thing Inuyasha remembered was fighting with the giant of a man, and now he was waking up, in intense pain and hardly able to move._

_"You...," growled Inuyasha as he clutched his fists tightly, glaring at the man, very near the size of an ogre, in front of him. Now he remembered...that man had landed on his body, nearly crushing the hanyou turned human's bones into dust._

_"Now I understand, you're nothing but a hanyou!" taunted the sage as he gathered the oddly shaped, pink fruits, placing them into a massive clay-like jug that had been placed in front of him._

_"If you're gonna kill me, then do it now!" snapped the young man, who was only growing more angry by the moment the longer he was trapped by the thick, thorned vines._

_"Youkai power is good nourishment for Ninmenka, the tree of human faced fruits," the sage continued as he placed the strange looking fruit, with a human face carved into it, into one of the extensive jars. "With you in the broth, it'll bare the fruit of longevity more quickly."_

_"FORGET IT!" Inuyasha shouted, straining against the sharp briar that continued to hold him. The raven-haired man groaned as he felt the knifelike thorns dig further into his flesh, cutting him deeper and causing more blood loss. The half-demon turned human could feel the open wounds in his body and the blood seeping down his flesh. It had already soaked through his clothes. If he didn't hurry, he would eventually die from the blood loss._

_"Hurry and make your demon powers return," ordered the sage as he finished putting the last of the fruits into the jar. He turned towards Inuyasha, grinning sinisterly with his horrible eyes bulging and his teeth bared hungrily. _

_"Nnnnh!" was all the hanyou turned hingen could say as he fought against the thick tree-like vines, still holding him. _

_"Keep struggling. If the thorns pierce your skin it'll be that much easier to extract your juices," the green-haired giant taunted him. _

_"Damn you," Inuyasha growled, staring at the filthy, gargantuan human in front of him. The hanyou turned human's eyes scanned the room looking for some way to free himself when his eyes caught sight of a spindly, wooden table. On top of it was a tiny, glass jar. The jar was completely empty and it looked very familiar to Inuyasha. 'That's the bottle Kagome used to keep the jewel shards in!' he thought to himself and turned his gaze back over to the sage, staring at his jelly-like stomach. His eyes caught sight of the extra jewel shards, Kagome had posessed, lodged into the sage's navel._

_"Tell me what you've done with the owner of the shards of the Shikon no Tama!" the hanyou demanded to know. _

_"Owner?" questioned the sage. "I haven't seen any owner." He sat down the giant jug of fruits he had been lugging across the room and patted his stomach gently. "I found these."_

_"Don't play innocent with me! You stole those from Kagome!" Inuyasha snapped, growing more furious by the minute and even more worried about the little miko. What had happened to her? Why didn't she have her jewel shards? Did the sage already devour her?_

_"Kagome?" continued the sage in a confused manner._

_"The girl who had the shards of the Shikon no Tama!" the hanyou urged, irritation shrouding his voice._

_"A girl you say?" questioned the sage who was now turning back towards Inuyasha. His grotesque-looking face broke into another smile. His massive eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and his mouth opened wide like a toad's mouth when croaking. Small pointed teeth set into his jaws were being bared portentously. _

_"What tremendous news! A girl inside my house!" The massive sage turned and began walking towards the door, only stopping to release a few more taunting words towards Inuyasha. "The demon tree Ninmenka loves women too." The green-headed sage stopped and gazed over his shoulder, the same nasty grin on his face. "And the younger the better." He walked away issuing sinister laughter and left Inuyasha to hang helplessly from the thorny briar, not knowing where Kagome was or what could be happening to her. 'Kagome, I'll find you! Just keep hiding until I can get to you!' the hanyou turned human thought frantically as he fought in vain against the thickset roots wrapped around his weakening body._

_ooooo_

_"KAGOME! EVERYTHING'S SET OVER HERE!" came the little kitsune's voice from on top of the rocks that set inside of the sage's small village. Shippou had taken three aluminum cans of hairspray from Kagome's bag and lodged them under a rock, hoping that the plan himself, the miko and Miroku had derived would work. _

_"ALRIGHT!" the young woman called back, waving a hand to Shippou, letting him know she had heard him. Kagome turned and looked at the taller man who stood beside her. "Okay Miroku-sama?"_

_"I'm ready when you are," nodded the monk, holding his golden, ringed staff against his shoulder._

_Kagome lifted a hand and waved it towards the young kit's direction, signifying that she and the houshi were ready to begin the operation. As soon as the kit saw Kagome's signal, he raised a little hand and waved it towards the cans of hairspray. "KITSUNE-BI!" cried out the little youkai, releasing a massive selection of teal-blue flames towards right on the aluminum. It caused a small explosion, sending the rock to break free and roll down the cliff right towards Kagome and Miroku. _

_As soon as they caught sight of it, Miroku released the prayer beads from around his hand and held it wide open. "KAZAANAAAA!" cried the houshi, his hand pointed directly at the rock. The massive boulder came hurling down, heading straight for the little ebony-haired miko. _

_"Here it comes!" she exclaimed as the broken boulder was advancing right upon her. _

_The rock was just inches away from Kagome when Miroku lept out and grabbed the little miko out of harm's way. The rock continued to roll and crashed right through the wall of the little house the gang was trapped inside, creating a decent sized hole. The three didn't have much time to congratulate themselves when a gigantic eye was seen swirling around in all directions from the sky of the little house. _

_"There she is!" came a raspy, harsh sounding voice. _

_Kagome and Miroku both looked up but before they could do anything, a hand to fit the size of the eye slipped through the clouds and descended right upon the young priestess reaching out for her. Kagome gasped and screamed in terror, squeezing her eyes shut as the disgusting, fat fingers wrapped themselves around her currently shruken body. More virulent laughter issued from the gargantuan sage's mouth. _

_"Hahaha! Found her! Excellent!" jeered the porcine man. He opened up his fist, obviously proud of himself for this accomplishment. "A young girl. She's filthy but she's sure to please Ninmenka."_

_Kagome sat in the palm of the sage's hand, cringing and keeping her eyes squeezed tightly closed. "Oh no!" she whimpered, opening up one dark orb to peer up at what had captured her. Her eyes both opened wide as she stared in shock at what was in front of her. A small gasp materalized from her chest. 'He must be the sage, Tokajiin!'_

_"This has been a fine day!" Tokajiin continued to carry on. "An unusual half-demon and a young maiden all within hours! So by tomorrow, I should have the fruit of longevity!" _

_At the words 'half demon' this sent both anger and fear winding down Kagome's back. She cringed furiously, drawing in her eyebrows and gathering her courage. "Did you see Inuyasha!?" the fiesty little miko demanded to know. Feeling even more brave by the moment, the young woman lept to her feet, balling her fists up as though she were going to attack Tokajiin. "ANSWER ME!" Kagome shouted. "Inuyasha's not hurt is he!? You'll be sorry if he is!" Kagome waited for the sage to answer her demand and when he didn't the little miko found herself growing more irritated by the moment. "HELLO!? I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Kagome shouted, but before she could say anything else she felt that giant hand wrap tightly around her body. The miko squealed in surprise. _

_"Pipe down and GO TO SLEEP!" rasped Tokajiin as his hand squeezed even tighter around Kagome's body and before she knew it, the girl had been rendered unconcious._

_ooooo_

_Inuyasha was still struggling and fightning against the sharp briar. He was becoming angrier by the second and even more so worried about Kagome. "I can't STAND it!" he grunted as he jerked, tugged and pulled, trying to break free from the thorny vines' hold on him. _

_'Human bodies are so weak and vulnerable...' he thought to himself. The hanyou sighed, letting his arms fall and his head hang listlessly. Long, raven locks of hair curtained the sides of his face. 'I've lost too much blood...I'm starting to get dizzy...' Inuyasha thought. He could feel his strength wavering from his body and didn't know how much longer he'd last until he passed out cold or would just eventually die from the blood loss. "Huh?" he moaned as the sounds of the door knob turning reached his ears. Inuyasha struggled to lift his raven head, fightning to keep his dark, blue-gray orbs open. His vision was blurring vastly, and it had become rather difficult to see anything. _

_"Still alive, are you hanyou?" came Tokajiin's taunting voice as he had made his way back into the room where Inuyasha was still being held captive. _

_The half-demon gazed up, glaring at Tokajiin. His eyes scanned the monstrous man and they fell on something in his hand. He tossed the garments aside and they landed in a small heap on the floor. Inuyasha's eyes followed them and he blinked a few times to better focus. They looked all too familiar. 'Kagome's clothes...no! She couldn't be!' the hanyou thought frantically. Feeling a newfound energy surge through his veins, Inuyasha lifted his head. _

_"Where's Kagome?! Tell me where the girl is!" Inuyasha commanded the simpering sage._

_The massive inhuman creature chose to ignore the half-demon's question as he seated himself on one of the clay jugs. "Extracting nourishment has become rather bothersome since you broke my gourd," he told the young ningen in irritated tones. _

_"Extracting nourishment!?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, balling his hands into tight fists. If he had had his claws, they would have been digging into his palms and cutting his hands from the rate of fury coursing through his blood. _

_"Why the angry look?" Tokajiin inquired knowingly. _

_"WHERE'S KAGOME, YOU ANIMAL!" Inuyasha roared forcefuly, staring daggers at Tokajin. If he had the strength to do it, the hanyou would have already broken free and attacked the hell out of the sage, but he was still extremely vulnerable. The antagonism and rage was rising higher and higher, hastily rushing to his head. Inuyasha could feel his face growing hot from the fury that tore through his heart. All he cared about was Kagome being safe and alive._

_"Oh I see. You're expression says it all. You're in love with that filthy girl," Tokajiin jeered tauntingly at the hanyou, putting emphasis on the word 'love' to further agitate him._

_Inuyasha didn't protest against the beastly sage. It was true, he did love Kagome and if something had happened to her, the hanyou would never forgive himself. He had promised to protect her and what was he doing now? Being trapped helplessly by some obese sage that he could have easily taken out if he had his youkai power. At these thoughts, he only grew ever more furious, baring his teeth and growling at the disgusting excuse for a human._

_"You'll see her soon enough...inside my belly that is," Tokajiin continued provoking the defenseless, young man. "You will both become the fruit of longevity and I will relish every last bite!" He opened his toad-like mouth once more, revealing the tiny sharp sets of teeth in his mouth and issuing a horrible, raspy laugh._

_"YOU'RE DISPICABLE!" Inuyasha exploded as he pulled even harder against the briar still suspending him. He reached out wanting so badly to grab Tokajiin and maul him until nothing was left. How DARE he speak like that. How DARE he even think of laying his ugly, disgusting fingers on Kagome._

_"You're wasting your time. You cannot escape from those thorny roots," the gargantuan sage pointed out. _

_Inuyasha didn't care, he was going to do everything he could to break free and rescue Kagome before Tokajiin could turn Kagome into the fruit of longevity. He pulled and tugged against the roots when he felt a force pulling along with him. The hanyou wasn't sure exactly what was happening, but he could them beginning to break loose. The raven-haired man cried out in agony and fear as he gave one more giant struggle against the briar and felt them break. He landed on the hard floor, the pile of vines falling right on top of himself and Tokajiin, burying him underneath. Inuyasha soon found his way out of the roots and looked over at the sage who had been knocked out cold. His mind was on one thing and one thing only and that was finding Kagome and taking her somewhere safe. _

_"Kagome!" he spoke the miko's name desperately as he got up and advanced towards the doorway opening. All he knew was that it was crucial that he find the miko and fast before she was devoured alive by Tokajiin._

oo00oo

"Hey Kagome," Inuyasha began as he sat up from the girl's lap. "I was just thinking...about that time in Tougenkyo."

"You too?" Kagome asked softly, drawing her knees up to her chest, pulling the haori more snug around her body and staring up at the moonless sky. "Kami Inuyasha, I will never forget that night."

"Keh, me neither...I was just...thinking about how worried I was for you, kinda like how I was tonight...I thought that Tokajiin had eaten you alive. I was almost certain that the serpent was going to eat you too."

"Yeah, I'm still kind of embarrassed about what happened though," the priestess replied, blushing. "I mean, if I had known I was completely naked...I never would have..."

"I-it's alright...that was a long time ago, right?" Inuyasha stammered.

The hanyou turned ningen blushed furiously as he turned away from Kagome remembering all too well that she had lept out of the tub she was placed in, completely nude when Inuyasha had entered the room. The raven-haired man didn't have a clue that Kagome would be complete stripped of any type of clothing when he found her. His mind was too filled with the concern and worry for her safety. However the moment he laid eyes on her, Inuyasha had to admit himself from just the look her tender, smooth flesh and plump bouncing breasts were enough to send the boy over the edge. If he hadn't been so severely wounded he probably would have let his feelings get the best of him, but the hanyou had been too injured at that point in time to worry about such things. Inuyasha had lost entirely too much blood.

Though for Kagome's sake, he had done everything he could to keep a straight face and remain confident, not wanting her to realize how badly injured he was and how much pain he was in. It wasn't long until after Inuyasha had removed his fire rat haori and tossed it to Kagome so she would have something to wear, that the young man had fallen to the ground. Inuyasha had been rendered weak and completely passed out from lack of blood and strength to keep him going. Breaking from his thoughts once more, the half-demon could feel himself starting to get weary and tired now. Even though he'd been injured by the serpent youkai and hadn't lost that much blood he was still feeling the normal affects of fatigue take over him. It would be morning soon and Inuyasha could hardly wait. He was growing tired of being in his ningen form. He was always more suseptable to feeling exhausted, harboring emotions and anything else any other mere mortal would feel.

Inuyasha yawned and lay back, resting his hands behind his head. He closed his blue-gray irises. Perhaps it would be safe to rest for a few hours. Kagome had grown awfully quiet, and Inuyasha inclined his head to look up at her. The little miko was resting her head face down in her arms that had been folded over top of her knees. Inuyasha was almost certain Kagome had just fallen asleep and so he turned his head away from her and closed his eyes once more. The young priestess lifted her head up from her arms and stared down at the handsome young man laying next to her. His head was turned very slightly and his eyes were closed. Kagome studied his body movements, taking note of his gentle, relaxed breathing. She would stay next to him tonight and make sure nothing happened to him.

"Just rest easy, Inuyasha," the little miko spoke softly. She didn't want to awaken him. "I'll stay here with you all night and protect you...just as you always did for me." Kagome sighed and rested her chin on her knees. She stared ahead at the flickering fire and then turned her head, watching it's light dancing on the sleeping hanyou's relaxed form. A small smile crept up on her face, but soon dissapated. It had been so long since Kagome had truly smiled. Every since Kikyou's death, it was hard for the girl to even laugh. She couldn't remember the last time she had genuinely laughed or smiled for that matter. The dark-haired girl let out another soft sigh, continuing to gaze down at her beloved hanyou.

"Inuyasha, I don't know if you know this, but all the times you'd been rendered unconcious in your human form or even your demon form, I've always been there for you. I know that's something you and I share that you and Kikyou never did. She never saw you as a human or a youkai. I have always been there for you when you're human. I've seen you change in both ways and I've done everything I could to help you and protect you," the little miko admitted silently to the sleeping hanyou.

"Kikyou was never there when you were human nor did she ever see you when you transformed into youkai, Inuyasha but I have. We've been through more together than you and Kikyou were, right? I mean...I know that you and Kikyou were so close before I was ever born and...well, I know I'm not the beauty that Kikyou was, but Inuyasha can't you just...," Kagome paused and sighed, shaking her raven head. "Hmm, I guess it's a good thing he's asleep. I just wish I had the courage to say all of these things right to you, Inuyasha, instead of just sitting here and talking to myself." The little miko felt her eyes stinging and she closed them tightly, doing her best to ward off the tears that were threatening to fall once more. _Inuyasha...will things ever be the same between us again?_

Inuyasha had not been asleep while the miko spoke. He'd heard and drew in on every single word. The hanyou rolled over onto his side, closing his tightly once more against the lingering pain. _Kagome...I'm so sorry..._


End file.
